Savior
by xxxShadowMagexxx
Summary: Hermione is forced to live at Malfoy Manor when situations go from bad to worse. As she draws closer to Draco, war threatens. Her friends are being attacked and murdered. Will the relationship survive? Dramione. R&R Please!
1. Chapter 1

**prologue and two epilogues. This story is completely Dramione, and there is a bit of out-of-characterness going on, hopefully not enough that this is unrealistic. **

**Summary: Hermione is forced to stay at the Manor with none other than Draco and Narcissa Malfoy when situations turn bad. Then a war begins, pulling everyone deeper into a cesspool of mystery and conspiracy. As Draco and Hermione draw closer than they ever believed possible, will dark forces tear them apart? Only time will tell.**

**I hope you enjoy my first fanfic!**

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><p><em>I'm About To Hunt You Down Through,<br>The Big Black Hole Right Behind You  
>I'm About To Cut Your Wings Away<em>  
>~Murder by Within Temptation<p>

**Prologue: Revenge**

Dolores Umbrage hated to lose, almost as much as she hated Harry Potter and his friends. She had taken on the Muggleborn Registration Committee specifically for that reason. To get rid of as many of those nasty children as possible, and to make herself look good in the eyes of the minister, who she knew from the very beginning was Voldemort's mole. Such a pity that the Dark Lord had been killed.

And now she was in hiding. She still had the Prophet delivered to her by her secret keeper though, and each day she felt herself getting closer and closer to an explosion at all the happy news about the Golden Trio. It was disgusting! Why did everyone refuse to see that they're vile, nasty little children?

Then, one day, she got the Prophet, and her eyes widened in excitement when she saw the title on the front page.

_**Golden Trio or Gilded Trio**_**?**

She smirked, immediately starting to read the article.

_Was the Golden Trio actually as perfect as they seemed? New evidence has come to light saying the opposite. (See pictures on pg. 5 for visual proof)_

_ Apparently, Ronald Weasley broke up with his long-time, gold digger girlfriend, Hermione Granger a few years ago. It has been recently revealed that he had been having an ongoing relationship with one Lavender Brown since his sixth year at Hogwarts, continuing even while he had been dating Granger. They are to be married on the 22nd of March, this year._

_ And surprising evidence has revealed that Harry Potter, the boy who lived to defeat Voldemort, may not have been completely truthful about his victory. (See page 4 for full story)_

_ ~ Rita Skeeter_

Umbrage eagerly scanned through the rest of the article. When she finished, she put the Prophet down with an evil grin on her face. Someone else seemed to have a bone to pick with that trio.

She searched her desk for a spare piece of parchment and immediately penned a letter to the Skeeter woman. With her on her side, they could easily bring down the Gilded Trio. She smirked. How fitting. Gilded. Perfect on the outside, but rotten on the inside.

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><p>Rita Skeeter found herself faced with hundreds of replies to her article. She burnt the ten howlers she received. She wasn't about to listen to some piece of parchment scream at her.<p>

She scanned through all the letters and burnt all of them but two. One of them was from some former Ministry official by the name of Dolores Umbrage. The other was from one Rudolphus Lestrange.

They each asked her to meet with them at a specific time and place. She penned a response to each asking them both to meet her in the Shrieking Shack, where they could talk without being overheard. They both wanted the same thing: revenge on the Golden Trio.

She was only too happy to join _that_ noble cause. And with Rudolphus on their side, they'd be able to recruit all the former death eaters that weren't dead or in Azkaban, plus all their living family members. She grinned. She would finally get her revenge on that bushy-haired gold digger skank for keeping her in a jar during the Triwizard Tournament.

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><p>Umbrage found herself waiting in the Shrieking Shack for the journalist to arrive. She had seemed very eager and enthusiastic for her support of the article, and had agreed to meet her.<p>

She heard someone walk into the room she was in, and she turned, expecting Skeeter. Instead, she came face to face with Rudolphus Lestrange.

She never had liked him, even when under the Dark Lord. She wondered why he was here.

Finally, Rita Skeeter arrived in the room.

Rita grinned evilly at the two others in the room. She noticed that they didn't seem to like each other, but, as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. So they were going to have to put any ill feelings they might have between them behind them so that they could work, and maybe actually accomplish something.

Rita shrugged off her jacket and set it on the floor.

"Welcome," she said. "I received responses from both of you, saying that you thought that my article was very good and that you would love my help to get revenge on the Gilded Trio. I've decided to oblige."

The squat woman with the hideous pink bow, who she knew was Umbrage grinned evilly.

"Wonderful. With the help of the paper, we'll send those nasty children to the very bottom of the Wizarding food chain," she said. Rita resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"We're going to be using a lot more than just the Prophet, Dolores," she said. She nodded to the Lestrange. "He can help us get enough supporters to wage a war if we needed, and kill friends of theirs to let them know that someone is after them. And I'm an animagus. I can spy on their conversations and find information for both parts of the plan."

"I'm not sure how much support we'd get for this," Rudolphus said. Rita frowned. What could he possibly mean?

"What do you mean?" She asked. He couldn't be serious. Those three had to have more enemies than anyone in the Wizarding World. Of course, they probably have a lot of friends, but _that_ number would soon be diminishing. She didn't see what the problem was. If they needed to, they would break people out of Azkaban.

"After the death of the Dark Lord, many of his supporters either went into hiding or decided that they no longer wanted to fight against the Potter boy. They think that we don't stand a chance. They're afraid to continue Lord Voldemort's noble work," he said.

"Well, make them see," the pink woman said. "Tell them how much we have for us." Rudolphus looked at her in pure contempt.

"Says the woman in hiding," he says scornfully.

Umbrage opens her mouth to say something, but Rita intervenes. They didn't need an argument right now.

"Just try to get as many as you can," she said. "We can probably break some of them out of Azkaban, and I'm sure that his inner circle, those closest to him, would have horcruxes so that we could bring them back to help us."

Rudolphus paled, and she knew that she had hit a nerve.

"Bellatrix has one, doesn't she?" She asked, correctly determining what made him pale. He gave a short, jerky nod.

"With her back, I'm sure that supporters would flock to us. We'll get her back first. I'm sure that you have it, don't you?" He nodded again. She grinned evilly.

"Good. We'll start looking for more horcruxes after we bring her back. The more support we have from big members like that, the more support we'll earn from lesser members."

They talked over a few more issues before the other two left. Rita grinned. They wouldn't know what hit them. She apparated to the Hog's Head, careful to camouflage herself first.

"To revenge," she said, raising her firewhiskey glass in a mock toast. She downed it in one gulp and ordered another. She was going to celebrate her victory right.

The Golden Trio would soon be but a memory. The thought caused her to smirk into her glass. Soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention last time that I would be updating every Friday. The story is getting closer to being done every day.**

**Disclaimer: If I wasn't a lowly muggle, I could cast a memory charm on JK Rowling and the rest of the world and say that I owned Harry Potter. But, sadly, I own nothing.**

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><p><em>Dear Mother, I Love You<br>I'm Sorry That I Wasn't Good Enough  
>Dear Father, Forgive Me<br>'Cause In Your Eyes, I Just Never Added Up  
>In My Heart I Know I Failed You,<br>But You Left Me Here Alone_  
>~Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch<p>

**Chapter 1**

Draco wasn't happy, but that wasn't anything unusual as of late. First, it was the looks he got after the war, the discrete shying away from him, the whispers when people thought he couldn't hear. _Look, there's a Death Eater_._ He should be in Azkaban with his father_. Then, his marriage with Astoria Greengrass had fallen through the cracks, and that was all his fault. He admitted it. He hadn't given her enough attention, and that was one of his biggest regrets.

The worst part, though, was that he hadn't seen Scorpius since Astoria had left him. She made sure of that. She had gotten all rights to him in the divorce. Scorpius probably thought that he had abandoned him. It was heartbreaking.

"Your father will see you now," the receptionist at Malfoy Enterprises said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

His father had been released from Azkaban a few weeks ago. He wasn't one hundred percent sure how he felt about that. He remembered the man that had spoiled him rotten during his childhood, but he couldn't connect him with the cruel Death Eater that he saw now. The man that had thrown him to the wolves, giving him to Voldemort in his place.

He shuddered just at the thought of everything that he had endured because of that psychopath. He had been forced to kill Dumbledore at sixteen years old, and when he had failed, the great prat had tortured him until he bled. After that, he was sent on stupid missions that had a greater chance of failure than success or on no missions at all. Voldemort had wanted him dead after he had proved that he had too much of a conscience to kill his headmaster.

Without Snape, he probably _would_ be dead. That man had been his saving grace, and he hadn't realized it until it was too late to thank him.

As for his father, he hadn't been the same to him since his failure. Draco knew that he was a disappointment. He had no illusions about that.

He opened the stark white door, bracing himself for whatever his father was about to say.

"The time has come," were the first words out of Lucius Malfoy's mouth. Draco hadn't expected that, and felt a relieved sigh escape him.

"The time has come for what?" He asked because he was expected to. He already knew the answer: he was to become CEO of the family company. He sighed. _Goodbye freedom_, he thought to himself sadly. He would miss his life of no responsibilities. Of course, he had managed it after his father was in Azkaban, but he wasn't very good about it, and had his fun before he did the work. Now it was going to be an overbearing responsibility. He'd have to actually _work_ before he could do anything that was actually enjoyable. He barely held back a groan.

"The time has come for you to take your place as head of the family business, Draco," his father said. Draco tried to look happy about that, but judging by the expression on his father's face, he didn't do so well.

He sighed. "Alright, father," he said, very aware of what he was agreeing to. His father grinned slightly.

"You do realize that this is going to be a great responsibility, don't you, Draco?" His father asked. He nodded.

"I know," he said.

"Good," his father said. "In one year, this business becomes yours."

In one year, his free life would be over and he'd become a slave to business. He groaned. He supposed that he had to make the most of it, though.

"You are dismissed," his father said, waving him off. Draco got to his face and left. He needed a drink.

He walked to the floo, hoping that Blaise was home tonight and not off somewhere and doing something random with his lunatic of a wife.

His best mate, Blaise Zabini, had married Loony Lovegood of all people. He had no idea what had possessed him to make _that_ decision, but they seemed happy, so Draco really couldn't say anything, as much as he would have liked to.

"Zabini Manor!" He called after stepping into the green flames. He found himself stepping out of the fireplace in the foyer of the homey manor. He had always liked Blaise's house better than his own. It wasn't as depressing. In fact, compared to the way Malfoy Manor used to be, it was downright _inviting_.

"Zabini!" He called, walking through the house. He found that the other boy's bedroom was closed. Smirking, he tried the knob. Unlocked. He would finally be getting revenge for all the times that Zabini had walked in on him with one or another of his conquests.

"Time to come out, Blaise," he exclaimed cheerily as he walked in. His friend groaned and sent him a glare. Draco knew exactly what they had been doing, judging from the appearance of the bed, the wife, and the man in question.

"My eyes!" he cried. "I've been scarred for life!" The other boy rolled his eyes and pulled on a pair of muggle jeans over his boxers.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Malfoy?" he asked. Draco smirked.

"Nothing like a little payback every now and again," he said. "You're always bursting in on me. I figured that I'd return the favor."

Zabini glared daggers at him.

"Is there something that you wanted, Draco?" he asked. Draco's smirk grew wider.

"What? I can't just visit my best mate because I miss him?" He said, widening his eyes innocently. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"You could, if that was actually in your character. You _never_ just come for a visit, as much as I would like you to every now and again. So what is it you _want_?" He let all of his irritation with the blonde into that last word.

Draco grinned. "Master Malfoy is passing the family business on to me in a year, and I wanted to get nice and drunk. It will make it easier to bid my freedom and playboy nature goodbye before I have to be responsible."

Blaise sighed. "Give me a few minutes."

Draco nodded and left the room, heading back into the foyer to wait for his friend.

He emerged a few minutes later, fully dressed and looking like himself again.

"Let's get this over with," he said. Draco frowned.

"What crawled up _your_ arse and got stuck?" He asked. Blaise glared at him.

"I was in the middle of some very fun things with Luna. And you had to be a prat and interrupt me," he said. Draco shrugged.

"It isn't my fault that you're totally whipped," he said before apparating to the Leaky Cauldron. Blaise popped in right behind him.

"We'll take two firewhiskeys to start," he told the bartender.

He gulped it down in one swallow. He was going to get _good_ and drunk before the night was over. He grinned as he ordered his next drink.

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><p><strong>Well? What do you think so far? It's going to heat up very soon :D<strong>

**R&R please!  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Harry Potter.**

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><p><em>Who Do You Think You Are?<br>Running Round Leaving Scars,  
>Collecting Your Jar Of Hearts<br>And Tearing Love Apart  
>You're Gonna Catch A Cold<br>From The Ice Inside Your Soul_  
>~Jar Of Hearts by Christina Perri<p>

**Chapter 2**

Hermione stood in her bedroom with her back against the closed door, letting the tears fall. When had everything gone so wrong? She had been under the impression that their relationship had been going great. And then he had to go and do _this_.

She laid a hand on her stomach and let a small smile grace her lips. _She_ thought that the life growing inside her was a beautiful miracle. _She_ thought it was a wonderful thing. Apparently, her boyfriend didn't agree.

She sighed, moving further into the room to start packing. Her boyfriend had kicked her out. He said that he had never wanted her, and he had _especially_ never wanted her _babies_.

She sighed as she looked around. She didn't know what she wanted to take with her, wherever she was going. She knew that she couldn't take everything. Not until she had a roof over her head.

As of right now, her plan was to spend time at the Leaky Cauldron and work while she was searching for houses and getting in touch with her parents and single friends. Not that there were very many of _them_.

She opened her closet and sighed, running her fingers over the material of the dresses. There were ten of them. One for Harry and Ginny's wedding, Ron and Lavender's wedding, Luna's wedding to Blaise Zabini, of all people, Neville and Hannah's wedding, and one for George Weasley's wedding to Angelina Johnson. The rest were friends from work, oh, and Bill and Fleur's wedding, of course.

She knew that saving the dresses could be considered weird, but those weddings had been some of the best days of her life. Being a bridesmaid, while not as fun as being a bride (not that she'd know about _that_. All of _her_ relationships had fallen through the cracks and ended, typically badly.), was amazing. Helping people with one of the biggest days of their lives…there was nothing like it.

She couldn't leave those dresses. That would be like leaving memories. So she magicked them so that they were small enough to fit into her bag, which she cast an extension charm on. Then she flew into a flurry, packing some of her more weight-gain friendly outfits and pictures of her with her friends before walking out and quietly shutting the door behind her.

She made it to the foyer before she saw it again, bringing back memories of the past 4 out of 5 relationships. Let's see…that meant that 5 out of her most recent 6 relationships had ended because of infidelity.

She was going to just walk out the door and act like she hadn't seen them. But then she realized that it was the cowardly way out, and that all she had been doing recently was running, and she hated it. She needed to stick up for herself. It was _not_ okay to treat Hermione Jean Granger, war hero and the brains of the Golden Trio, like crap.

"Do you enjoy being an arse, or does it just come naturally?" She asked. They jumped apart guiltily, and her ex looked at her angrily.

"I thought I told you to get out?" He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes. He was worse than Ron ever was. She wondered why she had let herself get pregnant by him, why she ever thought that she had loved him.

"I _was_ on my way out, when I found you two sucking face right by the door. I'm done getting kicked around by men. You could have just _told_ me you were cheating on me when you told me that you didn't want me, but _no_. You had to leave that fact for me to _find_." She said. He rolled his eyes.

"Just go," he said, going back to eating the face off…_Millicent Bulstrode_? She shook her head to clear away the shock and sneered at him. It was a sad day when a Ravenclaw couldn't find anything wittier to say than "just go." It was downright pathetic.

She lifted her chin proudly and obliged, brushing past them and out the door. She slammed it behind her. Good riddance. She really needed to work on her taste in men.

She decided that she needed to walk to blow off steam, and she knew that the Leaky Cauldron wasn't too far away, so she felt certain that she'd be safe.

She set off in the direction of the inn, allowing herself to sink into her thoughts.

It had all started with Ron. He had been her first boyfriend, unless you count Krum, which _she_ didn't. He couldn't even get her _name_ right. Anyway, he had cheated on her with Lavender, and she had found them snogging on the couch on New Year's Day. She left him that night.

Then it had been McLaggen. She didn't know _what_ had possessed her to date _him_, but she soon came to regret it. Not that it was surprising, he was a great git anyway, and everyone knew it.

After that, she went through two colleges at work, and one turned out to be an arsehole cheater, while the other had actually been a good guy, but it just hadn't worked out. She didn't have that _feeling_ with him that she had always dreamed of having with the one that she was supposed to spend her life with.

And then it was some muggle that her parents had tried to set her up with. He was the worst out of _all_ of them.

Now it was her Ravenclaw ex.

She didn't know how far she had gone before she felt a presence nearby. She turned around, but no one was there. She looked around, but she couldn't find anyone. That was when it really sunk in that something bad might happen.

She was about to apparate when she felt a hand slide over her mouth to muffle her screams. The attacker's other arm slid over her stomach and they started dragging her somewhere.

Her first thought was: _Merlin, I'm three months pregnant. This can't be happening_. Her second thought was: _I'm not going down without a fight_.

She was thrown roughly to the ground, and she got a good look at the alley that she had been dragged into for the first time.

That was when she knew that she was going to die. It was the perfect horror story alley, dark and secluded, coming to a dead end with plenty of places to hide a body.

There were two figures dressed in all black, but she couldn't see their faces, so she didn't know who they were.

She was so preoccupied with trying to figure out what exactly was going on that she was only snapped out of her thoughts by her attacker's lips crashing onto hers. She did the only thing she could: she kicked at him and pulled her wand out. The other attacker wretched it out of her hand and threw it at the beginning of the alley.

She was in trouble.

The one that touched her started trying to remove her shirt from where it was tucked into her skirt. Her heart jumped into her throat, even as she tried to knock him off her. He was too big.

He had gotten her down to just her bra and panties when a new voice suddenly spoke.

"_Stupify!_" The one on her collapsed into dead weight and she was able to push him off her. The other one lunged for her, but soon joined his companion on the ground, caught by her savior's spell.

A woman walked down the alley towards her. She sucked in her breath when she realized that it was Narcissa Malfoy. She shied away, but the woman simply smiled and held out the wand that had been stolen from her. She smiled tentatively back at her.

"Get dressed, then come have a walk with me, Miss Granger," she said. She nodded.

Once she had her clothes back on, she joined the woman who was waiting for her at the end of the alley.

"So, tell me about yourself, Miss Granger," she said. Hermione winced.

"There's really nothing to tell," she said. The other woman frowned.

"Oh, hush. There obviously has to be _some_ reason you were out walking at this time of the night," she said. "Especially while pregnant."

Hermione jumped about three feet in the air in shock. The other woman grinned slightly.

"You really think that I couldn't tell?"

"Well, no, it's not that exactly, it's just-" She began. The other woman chuckled.

"Calm down. Where's the father?"

Hermione drained of color.

"At his house, currently sucking face with some blonde slag with long legs and big breasts," she muttered. At the woman's questioning look, she felt inclined to continue.

"He said that he didn't want me or my babies and then proceeded to kick me out of the house."

Narcissa nodded.

"That's awful," she said. Then she seemed to brighten. "Why don't you come to the manor with me?" She asked.

"I really don't think-"

"Do you have anywhere else to go?" She asked. Hermione glared.

"Not exactly, but-"

"No buts. Come on," she said. She grabbed her hand, and the next thing Hermione knew, she was at Malfoy Manor. She pulled her hand away and glared at the woman. This was _just_ what she needed. Draco Malfoy to make her life suck that extra bit more.

_Oh, Merlin_, she thought as the Malfoy matriarch led her inside. _What have I gotten myself into_?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: So, since today is Valentine's Day and this is supposed to be a love story, I decided to go ahead and post this chapter now. I'll still have the weekly update on Friday, but I thought that this woukld be a nice way for me to celebrate the holiday. Dramione = love :) And since my V-Day was a bit disappointing, I need all the love I can get. :)**

**Anyway, you're probably bored by now, so, without further ado, the chapter :)  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

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><p><em>Tired Of Living Like A Blind Man<br>I'm Sick Inside Without A Sense Of Feeling  
>And This Is How You Remind Me<br>This Is How You Remind Me  
>Of What I Really Am<em>  
>~How You Remind Me by Nickelback<p>

**Chapter 3**

Draco woke up the next morning with the world's worst hangover. He groaned and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep.

When he realized that the sun was going to make that impossible, he sat up, running his fingers through his sleep rumpled hair. The he looked over to the window. When the sunlight hurt his eyes, he looked down and groaned when he saw that he hadn't come home alone. He rubbed his eyes. It was too early for this shite.

He got up and walked out of the room, in search of the kitchen where his mother kept the sober up potions. He would have called a house elf, but he hadn't wanted to wake up his…_guest_. He wanted to be sober and awake when he had to explain what had happened.

As he walked out of the kitchen in only his slytherin green silk pajama pants that he had hastily pulled on, along with his boxers, he nearly walked back in. Sitting in his living room, having tea with his mother was none other than Hermione Granger. She smiled at something his mother said and stood up.

Draco nearly choked on his milk. She looked like she had put on a _lot_ of weight since Hogwarts. He didn't want to think of the alternative.

"Put on some weight since Hogwarts, did you?" He said with a sneer, making a show of looking her over. "What, did your life end when the Weasel dumped you?"

She had looked indignant at the first part, and she still did, but after the second question, she actually had hurt in her eyes.

"No, arsehole, I'm pregnant." She snapped. His eyes widened, and he had to admit that he was shocked.

"Huh. I didn't even know you knew what sex was. And Weasley. He finally located his penis?" he said. Then he realized something. "Ugh, so now there's going to be little Weasels running around?" He said with a groan. She glared at him.

"No. Ron isn't that father. Michael Corner is," she said. It was a good thing that he hadn't had anything in his mouth, cause he would have done a pretty impressive spit take.

"Well, why are you invading my house instead of making _his_ life miserable?" She looked down and bit her lower lip, and he could tell that she was hurt.

"He told me that he 'didn't want me _or_ my babies,' and then he kicked me out." She muttered. Draco was shocked. Corner hadn't seemed like that type of guy. Though he assumed that Granger could bring out the worst in everyone.

"That still doesn't explain why you're here," he said. Granger rolled her eyes.

"Your mother brought me here when she saved me from getting raped," she said. His mother put an arm around her shoulders.

"Draco, go irritate your slag," she snapped bitterly. Draco turned to her, stunned.

"Mother-"

She sighed. "Look, she's been through a lot. She doesn't need this third degree that you're giving her."

He nodded and walked back to the stairs, his mind spinning. Maybe he had been a little harsh. But it was _Granger_.

He walked into his room and slammed the door. He watched impassively as the girl jumped about six feet in the air. She turned to him in shock that soon faded to a smile that he supposed was supposed to be seductive.

"Draco," she purred, walking over to him. He looked her over. She had a good body but she wasn't a ten. He sighed and walked toward her with a predatory smirk. He laid his hands on her shoulders and walked her back to the bed. Once he was on top of her, he pinned her there so that she couldn't move.

"This was a mistake," he whispered to her. "I was drunk. You need to go."

She looked affronted, like a kitten that ruffled its fur when insulted. She pushed him off of her with an indignant huff. She dressed quickly and was about to leave before turning around, walking up to him, and slapping him hard across the face. Then she turned her nose off in the usual gesture of "I think I'm better than you" and walked out of the room. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He hated that. He really did.

He honestly didn't know _why_ he did stuff like get drunk and have one-night stands. It had all started in sixth year with Pansy. And from there, he couldn't get enough. It was a way to prove that he was better than everyone else to him. He slept with the most girls, and that made him the best, in his sixteen and seventeen year old mind.

Now, it was just a habit that he couldn't break.

He walked out of his bedroom and found Granger sitting in the same spot, smiling slightly and watching the fire.

She looked much too happy.

"Oi, Granger!" He said. She looked up at him and her smile faded.

"What, Malfoy?" She snapped.

"Why don't you cheer up?" he asked with a smirk. Her eyes narrowed.

"Because tomorrow may be another day, but you, unfortunately, will still be in it," she said. His smirk grew.

"I'm wounded, Granger," he said, dramatically clapping a hand to his chest. "You have no idea how many girls would kill to be in your place." She shook her head.

"You're so self-centered," she said. He could have laughed.

"Every time I walk passed a girl, she sighs," he said imperiously. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, with relief," she said. _Someone_ had certainly changed a lot since Hogwarts. He had to admit that he was impressed with the comeback. "You're such a conceited pig."

"And proud of it," he said. She rolled her eyes. Just as she was about to say something, his mother walked in.

"Oh, Draco, good. You're up. Would you be a dear and escort Ms. Granger to her room?" She made it very clear that the room would be in his wing of the manor. He glared but nodded. It wasn't worth the fight, and he had to agree that she would probably be safest there. He didn't care how safe she would be, but for some reason, his mother obviously did.

"Come on, Granger," he said reluctantly. She quickly got to her feet and walked up to him.

He led her up the spiral staircase and turned right before making a left to enter his own personal wing. He passed his bedroom door and opened a door two rooms down.

"This will be your room," he said, gesturing for her to enter. She looked at him and nodded.

"Your mother told me that I'd be staying in your wing of the manor," she said. "Why do you live in a separate wing from your parents? What did you do when you were a little kid and got scared? Or are you_ above_ that?"

He looked down, not willing to let her know that she had struck a sore spot. His father may have spoiled him, but he wasn't big on emotion, particularly caring emotions.

"Malfoys don't _get_ scared," he muttered half-heartedly. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," she said. She looked around the room with barely concealed awe.

"This is nice," she said. He took it in. It wasn't near as grand as his own room.

"I guess," he said, not really meaning it. She seemed to realize that because she turned on him with another glare.

"If you're going to be a jerk, you may as well just leave," she said.

"Fine, then," he snapped before turning on his heel and storming out. Ungrateful mudblood.

He decided to go down into the living room.

Seeing Granger brought back memories. Bad ones that he hoped never to have to think about again. Seeing her reminded him of how he used to be, and made him realize that no matter how much he tried to reform, he couldn't atone for everything he'd done under Voldemort, even if he hadn't wanted to do it. His crimes were inexcusable. He should have served for his mistakes in Azkaban with his father. He had managed to go free, but he hadn't cared one way or another. He thought that he deserved to serve in Azkaban.

He sighed. Life was about to get interesting with these memories coming back to haunt him.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Please Review! (I just realized how many smiles I used in the first author's note. *shudders* too much smiling!...jk<br>**


	5. Chapter 5

__**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

* * *

><p><em>I think you were wrong about me,<br>And what if you were,  
>What if you were?<br>What if I'm a snowstorm burning?  
>What if I'm a world unturning?<br>What if I'm an ocean, much too shallow, once too deep?_  
>~What If by Emilie Autumn<p>

**Chapter 4**

Malfoy infuriated her. He said something that made her heart bleed for him, and then he went right back to being an insufferable arsehole. She didn't understand it. He seemed reformed and almost _decent_ one minute, but the next, he went right back to the Malfoy she knew from school. His mood swings were giving her whiplash.

She flopped down on her bed, admiring the silky softness of the sheets. The only flaw was that it was green.

She eventually got up the energy to get up, and hung her bag on a hook on her closet door. She'd sort through her clothes later. For now, she needed a shower. She felt dirty. She could still feel the mystery man's hands and lips on her skin. She shivered with the thought.

She peeled off her clothes and immediately burned them. Wearing them again would only remind her of that night. Then she got in the shower.

She finally let the events of the day before sink in, and she gave great heaving sobs, which wracked her body since she chose to remain silent. She let her tears mingle with the water of the shower, going through the motions of washing herself mechanically.

When the water ran cold, she sighed and got out, wrapping a fluffy towel around herself that she had found in a cabinet.

Apparently, Narcissa was big on charities, and she had recently started helping support abused women. That was why she had provided a refuge for Hermione. She chuckled darkly. She definitely fit the description. All through her life, she had been undervalued or treated horribly, at times a combination of the two. This was good. Maybe she'd emerge stronger and wiser.

After she dressed in muggle yoga pants and a loose magenta top, she decided to wander around the manor. It wouldn't hurt to be able to find her way around in a house of this size.

Hermione felt bad for Draco. Though she hated to admit it, she didn't think he'd had the best childhood. She always thought that he was a spoiled (which he was and, frankly, still is), arrogant, conceited, purist prat. But after their brief discussion earlier, she wondered if he had been given a choice. If he had been forced to live in a separate wing of the manor, what other things had been taken from him? And, though it had come far since she had been tortured here, probably because the master of the house had been in prison, the house didn't exactly have a warm, homey feel.

She lost track of where she was going, lost in the ramblings of her mind. She was jerked back to attention when an arm grabbed her and pulled her into a room, shutting the door behind her. She whirled on her assailant.

"What-" she stopped when she saw that it was Malfoy. His urgent expression also made her shut up, but she had felt a strange calm come over her when she saw him. _That_ was disconcerting.

"Shh," he said, looking at the door. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was panicked. "My father is coming down this hallway. What were you doing in this part of the manor anyway?" The last part faded to an accusing hiss.

"How was I supposed to know that I wasn't supposed to go down this way?" She whispered indignantly, her hands automatically going to her hips. "And why _aren't_ I allowed down here?"

He sighed. "My father can't know that you're here. That would be bad. He would have none of it, and if you're here because of mother's new charity- she filled me in on how you got here- he'd force her to kick you out and abandon her new hobby. And this part of the manor is _dangerous_. You're lucky you haven't run into any artifacts."

She was shell-shocked. He had actually factored her well being into the equation. She knew that it was for his mother, but that showed just how reformed he was becoming. The old Malfoy would never worry about the safety of a lowly mudblood.

"Oh," she said quietly, still shocked. "Thanks, then."

He looked shocked that she had thanked him. Obviously the purebloods weren't big on gratitude. She gave a small smile to help ease the awkward atmosphere that had come over the room. He nodded and said nothing, merely stepping closer to the door to listen.

"Alright, let's go," he said at last. She sighed softly in relief that she'd be able to escape the tension.

When she returned to her room, she found an owl trying to get into her window. She started in panic, knowing that if Lucius noticed owls coming and going from her room, a room that was supposed to be vacant, he'd come investigating. Malfoy's warning repeated in her head. She'd make sure to cancel any subscriptions and tell her friends not to owl her.

She opened the window and quickly took the letter, letting the owl, which she recognized as Harry's, into the room. She walked to the bed and laid down, opening the letter.

Hermione-

_Where are you? We went to Michael's house only to find that he had broken up with you because of your…condition and had no idea where you would be. Ron, Ginny, and I (the others as well) are worried sick. Reply back as soon as you get this. Something horrible has happened that you need to know about. The aurors need you on this case._

_Worriedly, _

Harry

She sighed before walking over to Malfoy's room and hoping that he was there. She got lucky.

"Granger?" He said, jumping up in shock from where he was sitting. "What are you doing here? Don't you know how to knock?"

She blushed and bit her lip.

"I didn't think you'd be in here, honestly. I was hoping you would be, though, because I need to borrow some parchment. Harry owled me and sounded as close to a panic as he gets," she explained. Malfoy sighed.

"You know that you can't-" he began. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I know," she said, cutting him off. "That's one of the things that I need to tell Harry." He sighed but walked over to his desk before walking back to her with parchment in hand. He gave it to her and walked back to his original position.

"Are you done?" He asked rudely. She raised her chin proudly.

"I am indeed. Goodbye," she said, walking briskly out of the room. "And good riddance," she muttered as she walked into her own room.

_Harry,_ she began.

_I know that I should have owled sooner, but to be honest, this has been my first chance to. Before I begin, let me be very clear: do not owl me any more. Send a patronus. I can't be discovered here._

_Now, about my location. Narcissa Malfoy kidnapped me. Now, before you flip out like I know you will, take a deep breath. In, out. Now finish reading._

_After Michael dumped me, I decided to walk to the Leaky Cauldron, since it wasn't very far away, and stay there until I could find somewhere else. Unfortunately, along the way, I was almost raped by some unknown men. Narcissa saved me and offered me shelter at the manor._

_Malfoy's been…surprisingly decent so far. It's Lucius that I'm worried about. He doesn't know I'm here, and the others don't _want_ him to know that. _

_Now, what do I need to know that has happened? I'm not sure if I'll be able to help, since I'm kind of trying to avoid Lucius. The wards would prevent my apparation here. What if Lucius notices me coming into the house or wandering outside of Malfoy's semi-safe wing? That would be dangerous._

_Love, _

_Hermione_

She quickly tied the letter to Harry's owl's leg before affectionately ruffling his feathers.

"Sorry, but I don't have a treat today," she whispered. "I'll work on that."

She decided that now would be a perfect time for bed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Well, here it is. The next update. R&R  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

* * *

><p><em>Do you know the enemy?<br>Do you know your enemy?  
>Well, gotta know the enemy<em>  
>~Know Your Enemy by Green Day<p>

**Chapter 5**

Hermione woke up and went about her usual morning routine when she realized something astonishing: Malfoy and her had actually carried on a decent conversation last night. She had to sit down to get over the shock.

Once she was recovered, she stood up, only to shriek and fall back into the seated position a few seconds later. A house elf had just popped into her room.

They stared at each other in an awkward silence before the door banged against the wall and Malfoy burst into the room, looking frantic. When he realized what had happened, he looked like he wanted to laugh but decided to glare at her instead.

"What the _hell_, Granger?" He said angrily. "What if my father heard you? This whole thing could be blown! You have to be more careful. You have to actually _think_."

She narrowed her eyes at him in indignation. He had no reason to treat her like that.

"Why is there a bloody _house elf_ in my bedroom?" She snapped. "You know how I feel about that." His eyes widened in incredulity.

"_That's_ what that was about? If you would have blown your cover for _that_, I would…I would…"

"You would _what_?" She asked mockingly. Her only answer was his eyes narrowing at her. "What are you so afraid of, Malfoy? Wouldn't my discovery be _good_ in your eyes?"

He drew back, hiding within himself. She saw it in his eyes. The spark that had been there cooled until she was staring into cold, flint eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but words wouldn't come to her. He sneered.

"Don't even try, Granger," he said. "Not even you could say anything right in this situation." With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Hermione confused and still without an answer to her first question: why was there a house elf in her room?

"It's time for breakfast, Miss," the house elf said shyly. Hermione sighed.

"Well, that should be sufficiently terrifying and awkward. It fits perfectly with the way my life's been heading since I got that blasted letter when I was eleven," she said to herself, leaving. She'd work on freeing the house elves after she got some food in her.

About halfway through the halls, she mentally kicked herself. She was so stupid! Lucius was probably down there right now. That was a problem.

"_Expecto patronum_," she muttered, thinking of her time at Hogwarts. A brilliant spectral-like otter appeared in front of her. "Tell Draco that I have to talk to him."

A few minutes later, Draco walked up the stairs and met her gaze with a sharp glare.

"What do you want, Granger?" he snapped. She bristled, but bit her tongue, trying to be civilized.

"Can I eat, or should I add _that_ to the list of things that I can't do because you're- because of your father?" He glared at her, as if knowing what she was thinking about. She barely kept herself from saying _because you're afraid of your father_. But she knew that he knew that she was thinking it.

"He's gone," he said bitterly. He turned to walk away stopping just at the top of the stairs that lead to the first floor. "And, Granger," he said. "Watch your tongue." With that, he left.

She followed him quickly, not wanting to be left alone. Narcissa made idle conversation, which she normally hated, but with the awkward atmosphere that had fallen over her and Draco, she was actually rather grateful to the woman.

Breakfast went well until they were getting ready to go their separate ways. Then all hell broke loose.

The door bell rang, and Narcissa went to answer it, followed closely by Draco and Hermione. The latter rolled her eyes when she heard the arguing.

"-I demand to see her!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione could have laughed at the look Narcissa was leveling towards the boy, but Draco looked murderous, whirling on her.

"What is Harry bloody _Potter_ doing standing at my door?" He snarled. She rolled her eyes.

"Overreacting because he didn't let me finish what I had been trying to tell him, as usual," she said with a glare at the dark haired boy.

"I hardly think I'm _overreacting_!" Harry said with shocked eyes. "You've been kidnapped."

Hermione winced. She really should have phrased that better. Draco looked at her skeptically and Narcissa looked almost hurt.

"If you would have finished reading the letter instead of just jumping to conclusions, you would know that Narcissa saved me from being raped, possibly saving my life. But, as usual, you didn't. You believed what you wanted to believe," she said. Harry had the grace to look ashamed.

"Uh…sorry. I guess I'll be going then," he said, turning to walk away. Hermione glared at him.

"Since you're here, you might as well tell me what had happened that I need to know," she said. He sighed.

"Neville's been murdered," he said. Hermione gasped, ignoring the other two people.

"When? By who?" She asked.

Harry sighed. "A few days ago. But we have no idea who did it. All we know is that the dark mark was burned into the wall in the room where the body was found."

Hermione's eyes widened. "But there are so _many_ Voldemort sympathizers left who would want to attack us. We've made quite a bit of enemies, Harry. They killed Neville to scare us. He's not their target."

She didn't say that the attempt to scare them had worked on her. But it had. Fear made adrenaline run through her blood.

"I want to see the crime scene," she said. "And I want to know how he died."

Harry looked pained. "He was tortured, Hermione. Seven times. His organs couldn't take it. The autopsy showed copious amounts of internal bleeding. But the cause of death was the killing curse. They tortured him until he begged for death."

Hermione felt her knees buckle. Who could be behind this? She had thought that only Bellatrix and Voldemort could be that cruel.

"Has anyone broken out of Azkaban?" She asked weakly. Harry shook his head, causing her to sigh in relief. "Good. That narrows the suspect list down. But there are still a lot of possibilities. Harry, I'm not sure that I can solve this."

"Of course you can, Hermione," Harry said. She was almost positive that he wanted to reassure himself more than her, but she let it go. "You've solved harder mysteries than this."

She sighed. "Yes, but I had _clues_ when I solved them. As of right now, all I know is that the culprit was a death eater who escaped imprisonment. It could have been someone from the inner circle with a horcrux, as well, though." She met his gaze.

"Harry, it could be _anyone_," she said. He looked grim as he nodded and turned to leave. She stood weakly, stumbling her first few steps before moving to follow him. Maybe the crime scene would give her another clue. But probably not.

Just as she was about to walk out the door, a hand wrapped around her wrist and roughly yanked her back.

"Don't be an idiot, Granger," Malfoy said. "They're after _you_. Let Potter play the hero. He doesn't seem to tire of it." She jerked her hand back.

"Malfoy, I don't think you understand. He's after all _three_ of us, plus any blood traitor that they can kill. Unfortunately, that's you as well," she said condescendingly. "If we sit back and let this person rise in power, he won't stop at killing the Golden Trio. No, they'll go after all the blood traitors and war deserters. They'll murder any muggleborn or muggle bystander that gets in their way. It will be the biggest magical genocide in history."

With that, she turned and ran after Harry, apparating away with him after exiting the grounds.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Sorry about the late update. Track started yesterday and I was miserable when I got home. They made us run hills in the freezing cold and the rain. It wasn't fun.**

**Anyway, here is the next update, better late than never, and I hope you enjoy! I'd love it if you'd review!**

* * *

><p><em>Climb into the ring for a battle that you can't win<em>  
><em>Swing as hard as you can swing, it will still mean nothing<br>I should have seen it coming, it had to happen sometime  
>But you went and brought a knife to an all out gun fight<br>And the only thing to save  
>Is the banner that you wave<br>To be wrapped around your grave_  
>~This Means War by Nickelback<p>

**Chapter 6**

Before they even walked in to the house, Hermione could tell that whatever had happened was bad. The normally cheerful house seemed to have an aura of deep darkness or evil that permeated down the street, telling the muggles that something awful happened here and that it needed to be avoided.

Hermione sighed and looked at Harry, who gave her an encouraging grin. Together, they walk into the house, Hermione shivering with the feeling of great evil that increased the closer they got.

Once inside, the magic was so strong that Hermione felt it like a punch to the gut. This wasn't the result of a simple murder. Whoever had been behind it came back, either before the body was found or after the aurors had left. Hermione took a deep shuddering breath and tried to be strong. This was too important for her to break down.

"Was it like this before?" She breathed. Harry nodded.

"Whoever did this was doing more than just a murder. The only time I've ever felt something with this much dark magic was when Voldemort was returned from his horcrux in fourth year," he said. Hermione's stomach dropped. This was worse than they'd feared.

"That means that whoever is behind this is planning on more than just a few assassinations, Harry," she said quietly. "Them bringing people back from the dead means that they are intending to stay."

She had considered the possibility, but now that it was confirmed, she felt the little bit of hope she had drain out of her.

"This is the beginning of a war," she said, voicing her thoughts. Harry nodded grimly.

"Come on," he said. "I'll show you where we found the body."

They walked silently through the house, the weight of the situation pushing down on their shoulders. This couldn't be happening. Would they ever have any peace?

They walked into the room, and the dark magic permeating from it was so intense that it hurt to breathe. The thing she noticed after the magic was the black Dark Mark burned into the wall. Below the Mark, someone had carved the words _ashes to ashes, you'll all fall down_. That was a threat if Hermione ever saw one, making it clear that whoever was behind the murder wouldn't come directly for them. They're going to murder their allies first, to isolate them from the world. Hermione understood the logic behind that. As Luna said, if it was just them alone, they weren't as much of a threat.

"Harry," Hermione breathed. She cleared her throat with a cough. "Do you think Voldemort-?" she started to ask.

"Absolutely not. We destroyed all of his horcruxes," he said, vehemently cutting her off. She nodded.

"It was just a thought. People have to be warned," she said. "Whoever made the horcrux had to have been within Voldemort's inner circle. They'll have a serious grudge and be one of the most evil wizards or witches ever. We have to warn the Order."

Harry looked at her. "It might put them in more danger if they know that there are people that may attack them, Hermione," he said. She sighed.

"I doubt it. Telling them could only protect them. They could go into hiding, and if they didn't want to do that, they could at least be better protected and prepared. They'd be on the look out for anything suspicious." She said.

"Alright," Harry said. "We'll tell them. I just hope you're right."

After that, Hermione set to work, running diagnostic spells to determine what had been used. She found the residue of the Cruciatus Curse, like Harry had said, as well as the Avada Kedavra curse. But she also found magic residue she had never seen before, residue that was extremely dark in nature.

Every spell leaves a unique residue in the air. Hermione was able to use that knowledge, discovered by Anthony Goldstein, to develop a spell that read the residue and told her what spells had recently been used in the area. It was extremely useful as an auror.

"Hey Harry," she said. He walked over to her.

"Yeah?" He said.

"I'm pretty much done here, for now," she said. "I need to do some research about some of these spells that were used. I know that they're dark magic, but not much else."

He nods. "That sounds good. Do you need me to help with anything? I could probably secure you access to the library in the Department of Mysteries."

Hermione smiled slightly but shook her head. "Harry, I'm staying with Draco bloody_ Malfoy_. I'm pretty sure that his library in the manor will have _more_ than enough information on dark curses. I'll send you a patronus when I find something."

Harry's face darkened. "Hermione, you won't be going back to the manor. You can stay with Ginny and me."

Hermione felt her temper start to flare up.

"Don't order me around Harry. You can't tell me what I can and can't do! I want to stay at the manor. Don't ask me why because I couldn't tell you. I honestly don't know. But I feel like that's where I need to be," she said. His eyes narrow.

"Hermione, it's _Malfoy_. He was a Death Eater. He's dangerous. And his father is even worse. You said that Lucius doesn't even know you're staying there. You have to know that he will eventually find out. It isn't safe there. The house itself is even against muggleborns. It's full of dangerous dark artifacts," he reasoned. Hermione's eyes narrowed as she dropped her hands to her hips.

"I'm a grown woman now, Harry," she said. "I can take care of myself."

They glared at each other in silence for a minute before Harry sighed and nodded in resignation. He knew when it wasn't worth the fight.

"Fine. Just…be careful, okay?" He said. Hermione smiled and nodded, hugging her friend.

"You know I will be, Harry," she said. He nodded, his eyes sad, and watched her apparate away.

She appeared outside the gates of Malfoy Manor. She sent Draco a patronus telling Draco to come let her in. A few minutes later, she sees him walking across the grounds.

"Well?" He asked expectantly, and a not a little rudely as he opened the gate for her. She narrowed her eyes.

" 'Well?'" she repeated incredulously. "Did you honestly think I would answer that?"

Now _his_ eyes narrow.

"It's my house, mudblood," he said with a sneer. "I'd consider fessing up."

She knew that he'd hate her if she said anything, but she could tell that his heart wasn't in the insult. His eyes betrayed him, as hard as he tried to hide it, she could see the worry buried very deep in their mercurial depths.

"If I didn't know better, Malfoy," she said. "I'd say that you were _worried_." He scoffed.

"Of course not. I have nothing to fear. I'm pureblood, and I did serve the Dark Lord, even if I hadn't enjoyed the experience." He said. Hermione raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Whatever you say," she says. His eyes narrow, but he motions her into the grounds.

"Seriously though," he said, his hostility seeming to give way to his curiosity. "What happened?"

Hermione grimaced.

"This isn't just going to be hit and run assassinations," she said. "They want a war. They aren't just after the deserters and the muggleborns. They want the power. And I think they want revenge, and that's why they're targeting us first. We're the biggest threat.

"The want to isolate us. They're going to go through all of our friends and allies until its only Harry, Ron, and I left," she said.

"Did you find anything that might help you track them down?" He asked. She shook her head with a rueful smile.

"No. But we know that they revived someone from a horcrux, and they used dark spells that I've never even heard of before. I was wondering if I could use your library to do some research," she said. She looked at him nervously before deciding to make the leap. "And I thought that maybe you could help explain some of them to me as well."

Draco's eyes darkened at the insinuation, but he nodded, knowing that, for everything that had happened, she didn't mean to insult him. She was just using her resources, and, really, he couldn't blame her. He would have done the same thing had their roles been reversed.

"Good," she said. Then she explained what all of the spells were that she hadn't heard of. As she continued, Draco's already pale skin paled even more with horror. She could tell that he had a theory and that, if it worried _him_ that much, she certainly wasn't going to like it.

"Do you have any ideas?" She asked. He nodded stiffly.

"I have several," he said.

"Those spells are extremely dark, the majority being of Voldemort's own creation," he said. "That means that the people leading this, or at least one of them, was part of the Inner Circle. A few weren't, however, and were characteristic of certain members of the Inner Circle, the ones who invented them.

"_Mortum Flagrantia_ is a spell that causes the victim's blood to literally burn in their veins. It means burning death, and it was designed to cause insane amounts of pain. It was characteristic of Bellatrix Lestrange. It is horrible spell, one fitting of the inventor. The _Illusio _curse was created by Rudolphus Lestrange. It became his go to spell. It was designed to cause the victim to become trapped in delusions and dreams in which they were tortured, either with pain, or, if he was feeling particularly evil, their greatest fears."

Hermione shivered as she listened. Those curses were awful.

"So we know that Rudolphus Lestrange is obviously behind this. He has motives, as well: revenge for the death of his wife. But he doesn't seem the type to make a drastic move like this alone. Someone is helping him," Hermione said. Draco nods.

"That sounds about right," he said.

Hermione smiled grimly. "We're one step closer to figuring out who's behind this."

Draco had to admire her determination, though he wasn't sure she knew what she was getting into.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Here's the next update.**

____**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

__I'm a mess, that's the best to describe it.  
>Having no time to myself's the only way I can fight it.<br>When I'm alone, it's like I'm staring into a mirror.  
>Don't know the person inside and that's never been any clearer.<br>I miss your family and I miss all our friends,  
>if you had a "to do over", would you do it over again? Cause I would.<br>This meant something to me,  
>there's a hole in my heart where you used to be.<em>_

_I still wish you the best of luck baby,_  
><em>and don't go thinking this was a waste of time.<em>  
><em>I couldn't forget you if I tried.<em>  
><em>You killed what was left of the good in me.<em>  
><em>I'm tired, so let me be broken.<em>  
><em>Look down at the mess that's in front of me.<em>  
><em>No other words need be spoken.<em>  
><em>I've got nobody else to blame though I tried.<em>  
><em>Kept all our past mistakes held inside,<em>  
><em>I'll live with regret for my whole life.<em>

~You Be Tails, I'll Be Sonic by A Day To Remember

Chapter 7

A few days later, Hermione found herself in the healer's office at St. Mungo's, getting her monthly examination for her baby. This time, the healer should be able to tell her the baby's gender.

"Miss Granger, the healer will see you now," the receptionist said with a smile. Hermione nodded and followed her to her usual examination room.

After a few minutes of waiting, the healer came into the room.

Hermione was seeing a magical healer, simply because it was easier. A muggle doctor would need more equipment and it would be a lot more cumbersome to go through that whole process. Childbirth was one field where magical knowledge _far_ surpassed muggle knowledge.

"Hello, Hermione," Healer Longbottom said. Hermione smiled.

"Hey, Hannah," she said.

Neville's death had taken a very obvious toll on her friend. She looked drawn and pale, and she had dark bags under her eyes like she hadn't slept in weeks.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked softly. The other woman looked down quickly, but not before Hermione saw her eyes tear up.

"I miss him so much," she said tearfully. "I keep thinking that if I hadn't had to go on that business trip, I could have saved him, or at least have died with him."

"Oh, Hannah," Hermione said. "You shouldn't think like that. You know that Neville wouldn't have wanted you to. You had to go on that trip. Lives depended on it."

Hannah sighed, wiping her eyes. "I know."

"And, on the bright side," Hermione said. "At least you have little Alice."

Hannah gave her a watery smile. "I know. I'm so lucky in that aspect. In the war, so many people lost husbands and wives without having that one small consolation. But at the same time, there are moments when she makes me miss him more."

She cleared her throat. "But enough of that," she said sternly, starting to pull out her wand. "Today's a very special day. You get to find out if you're having a boy or a girl."

Hermione smiled. "I'm so excited, but at the same time, I'm a little bit nervous," she said. Hannah grinned at her.

"Don't be," she said simply.

With a wave of her wand and a quick incantation, Hannah was able to produce a 3-D image of the baby…or in this case, _babies_.

"Wait…" Hermione said. "Am I having…_twins_?"

Hannah grinned. "It appears that way," she said happily. "Do you want to know the genders?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment, mostly because of the shock of discovering that she was going to have twins, before nodding quickly.

"It appears that one of them, let's call it baby number one for now, is a boy," she said.

"And the other?" Hermione asked, starting to get very excited. The longer she thought about the idea of twins, the happier she got.

"Baby number two is a girl," Hannah pronounced happily. Hermione smiled. She got the best of both worlds: a little boy _and_ a little girl.

"They appear to be coming along nicely, both of them seem healthy," Hannah said. She continued reporting on the condition of her twins for the last half hour of the visit.

"You should know though," Hannah said warningly as they walked toward the lobby. "You're going to be getting very big, Hermione."

Hermione nodded. She had already figured that out when she learned that she'd be having two babies instead of one.

"Thanks, Hannah," she said, right before walking back into the lobby. She paid for the visit with the receptionist before flooing back to the manor.

She had found within the two weeks she's been staying at the manor that she was able to floo directly into her bedroom, which made sneaking back into the manor easier than ever.

When she stepped out of the fireplace, she was surprised to see Narcissa sitting on the bed.

"Hello?" She said cautiously. Narcissa smiled.

"I knew you were having your examination today so I decided to see how it went," she said. Hermione smiled slightly as well.

"It went great," she said.

"I can see that. You're positively glowing. What news did you get to make you so happy?" She asked. Hermione blushed.

"I'm having twins," she said. "A boy and a girl. I'm so excited. Of course, it was a huge shock at first, but the longer I thought about it, the happier I became."

Narcissa smiled sadly.

"That's great news!" She said. "Maybe you could transfer some of your happiness to Draco. He's in a despondent mood today."

Hermione nodded. "I'll try."

They hadn't been getting along, per se, but Draco was civil enough to her now, though he still insulted her on a regular basis. Hermione figured that she should at least _try_ to help him. She wasn't sure how far she'd get, because she knew how prideful he was, but she'd try. She'd come to, well, not _enjoy_, their arguments, but they didn't make her as angry as they used to. They were more amusing to her now, though there were a few times where Draco went too far and ended up getting hexed.

She walked around the manor, starting with his bedroom and then checking the places she usually ran into him. When she couldn't find him in any of those places, she started to give up. She went outside for some fresh air to help her think.

While she was coming up with places where she could look for Draco, she walked around the manor. When he first came into view, she didn't even notice him until she almost tripped over him.

"Malfoy!" She said in surprise. He looked up.

"Granger," he muttered before looking away again. Narcissa was right; Draco _did_ seem to be in a melancholy mood today. She sat down next to him.

"Why are you so happy?" She asked him. He turned to her and gave her a look, clearly telling her to leave him alone.

"Come on, Malfoy," she said. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he snapped. She rolled her eyes, but decided to try another tactic.

She fell silent, simply sitting there with him, watching the day. A few times, an albino peacock strutted past them, but other than that, they mainly just sat there, lost in their own thoughts.

After about a half hour, Hermione looked over at Malfoy. He looked so depressed. It wasn't like him to show emotion like that. It must be something serious.

"I'm having twins," she said suddenly, not sure what made her say it. "A boy and a girl. I'm not exactly sure why I'm telling you this, but there it is."

After that she fell silent. They sat there a while longer in silence, and just as Hermione started to give up, she heard her companion take a shuddering breath.

"What is it?" She asked softly, putting a hand over one of his that rested on the ground, he shook his head, but soon he was telling her everything.

"A year ago, on today's date, I lost everything, Granger," he said. "My marriage fell through the cracks, and as Astoria got her divorce, she took everything that mattered. She took my son away, and I haven't been able to see him since."

Hermione watched him in silence, her heart starting to bleed for him.

"She won't let me see him, Granger," he said disconsolately. "He must think that I abandoned him."

Hermione felt her jaw set in determination and anger. That wasn't right. Maybe Hermione just felt that way because she had grown up with two parents that were completely in love with each other, but the reason didn't matter. All she knew was that she felt very strongly that Astoria shouldn't have taken the son away. It may have been her maternal instincts kicking it.

"That isn't right," she said vehemently. "We're reopening that case."

Malfoy looked at her, and his expression broke her heart. "It's no use. The Wizengamot already made its decision on the issue. They aren't going to change their minds."

Hermione gave a smirk that Malfoy could be proud of. "I think that they'd change their minds for Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, Malfoy," she said. He looked at her in shock.

"Are you serious?" He asked. Hermione nodded.

"I'm going to owl Harry now," she said.

The next day, around the same time, they found themselves at the ministry, in the Department of Marriage and Magical Contracts. They were in the Chief Lawyer's office, and Hermione was explaining what she had learnt to that very lawyer.

"And so we would like to reopen the case," she finished. The lawyer brushed his hand across his chin, thinking.

"Alright. In one week, meet me here again. I shall contact Ms. Greengrass," he said. Hermione felt a triumphant smirk spread across her lips as they left the office.

A week later, Hermione and Draco walked into the office together. Hermione wore a charcoal gray pencil skirt and blazer, with a bright blue silk blouse under the jacket. Narcissa had lent her the whole outfit. Somehow, they were the same size.

Draco wore a black suit with a white button up top and a red and silver tie. He looked dashing, his hair combed back. He was every bit the Malfoy heir that day.

As they entered, they saw Astoria sitting on one side of the table, wearing an outfit similar to Hermione's. They took a seat on the opposite side.

"I trust that you both know why you're hear," the lawyer said. Draco nodded, while Astoria whipped her head around to face the lawyer.

"No, actually," she said. "I have no idea why I'm here. I thought that this case was closed."

The lawyer didn't bother to dignify that comment with a response.

"Ms. Granger believes that Mr. Malfoy should have custody of Scorpius, or at least be able to see him. She also has Harry Potter to vouch for his trustworthiness. I wonder what your argument is for not allowing him to see his son," the lawyer said. Astoria went red.

"He was abusive," she said. The lawyer cocked an eyebrow while Draco just stared at her. Hermione was livid.

"That's a lie," she said. "He absolutely _despises_ me and has for years, but he's never done anything worse than call me a mudblood. Frankly, that didn't really bother me, and doesn't exactly stand out as abusive."

Draco looked shocked that she was defending him, but still managed to smirk at Astoria for getting her lie thrown in her face. The woman gave Hermione a look evil enough to send Death Eaters running in the other direction.

Hermione met her gaze unflinchingly. That girl didn't scare her. Let's see her come up with something better than that.

"Mr. Malfoy is so dedicated to Scorpius," Hermione said. "It isn't fair that Astoria can keep him from his own son."

"It isn't a matter of fairness, bitch," Astoria said. "It's a matter of what is best for Scorpius. And that would be me." Hermione cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing. "And notice how Draco has yet to say anything. That doesn't seem like dedication to me."

"Watch your mouth, Ms. Greengrass," the lawyer said sternly.

The arguments went on like that for around three hours, Astoria getting meaner and meaner as she realized that Draco might actually be a threat with Hermione on his side.

Finally, it was time for the lawyer to deliberate on whether the case would be reopened or not.

When the lawyer came back in, another man brought Scorpius in. When he saw Draco, the boy got very excited and slammed into him with the force of his sprint toward his father.

"Daddy!" Scorpius said. Draco smiled and knelt down next to the boy, not paying attention to anything else. Luckily, Hermione was.

"I have decided to reopen the case," the lawyer announced. Hermione grinned brilliantly before walking out, pulling the blonde with her. Scorpius and Astoria followed.

They exited the building and their eyes were assaulted by bright sunlight. But Hermione was too happy to be bothered.

"Did you hear that Mal-?" she began happily before collapsing to the ground. She knew the curse that was being used on her. Bellatrix Lestrange had used the same spell on her in seventh year.

The Cruciatus Curse.

She didn't scream. She wouldn't. She didn't want anyone to know what was happening. The only thing she did was curl up to protect her babies. But when the curse ended and she hadn't screamed, Astoria cast it again. A second time she held the pain inside. But the third time, she shrieked. The pain was too bad to hold in. It felt like her muscles were being pulled from her bones, and her skin from her muscles. She had never felt pain like this before. Everything felt like it was trying to escape her skin.

She was in agony.

Finally, the spell ended, and Hermione could breathe again. She was still in a lot of pain, but it wasn't the intense agony of before.

Astoria had apparated away, taking Scorpius with her. She took shuddering breaths, trying to keep from crying in front of Malfoy. Then she remembered the twins.

"Malfoy," she croaked. He was there in an instant. He had been there as soon as he had heard her screams, but he was glad that she didn't know how panicked he'd been. He didn't want her to know that.

"Yeah, Hermione?" He asked, trying to be soothing. He didn't like her any better, but she was giving him a chance to get his son back, and it had been his fault she had been cursed. It was the least he could do.

"The twins," she breathed. "Take me to Hannah Longbottom."

Draco's eyes widened and he nodded, carefully picking her up, one hand under her knees, and the other under her shoulders. He gritted his teeth and apparated, knowing that it would hurt her worse, but knowing that it was the quickest way to get to the hospital.

He burst into the maternity wing in a panic.

"I need to see Healer Longbottom, now," he said. "It's urgent."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note****: Here's the next update :) Please Review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize**_  
><em>

_Every girl is capable of murder if you hurt her  
>Watch out you, don't push me any further, any further<br>You're not the only one walkin' 'round with a loaded gun  
>This little girl is capable of murder 'coz you hurt her<em>  
>~This Little Girl by Cady Groves<p>

Chapter 8

Draco was worried sick, not that he'd ever tell anyone. Right now, he was sitting in the waiting room, quite possibly driving the person next to him insane with his constant motion. The suspense was killing him.

Hermione had gotten cursed because of him. How was he _supposed_ to react to that? Be completely calm? Like hell. He may not like her, but she didn't deserve that.

"Malfoy?" a soft voice said, bringing him out of his thoughts. His head snapped up to see Healer Abbott standing in front of him.

Hannah hadn't changed a bit since Hogwarts. She still had long, golden blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She seemed a little more solemn and she had the look of someone who had seen the worst, but dragged herself through it. Other than that, there really wasn't much of a difference.

"Yes?" He said.

"She's fine. No lasting damage, thank Merlin. Although she may have hit her head," she said with a smirk. "Considering that she's asking for _you_."

Draco smirked and shook his head, standing up and following her. As soon as the girl had her back turned though, his smirk faltered and faded completely.

Once they entered the room, Hannah turned to Draco.

"I have to go check on the results of a few simple diagnostic tests I ran on her. I'll be back," she said before walking out of the room. He nodded, even though she was already gone and couldn't see it. Then he walked over to Granger.

"Malfoy," she said when she saw him. He nodded, not exactly sure how to respond to that. "Thanks for actually listening to me for once."

He smirked for a second before it faded.

"You okay?" He asked, trying to make it seem like he was forcing it out. The look on her face let him know that she wasn't fooled, but she played along anyway, to his relief.

"Yeah, I guess," she said. "But now you _really_ need to win this trial. I want to see her face when she loses. I'll be testifying. This is personal now."

"Gryffindor temper," he said condescendingly. She grinned.

"At its finest."

They sat there in silence a few minutes before Hannah came back in, beaming.

"The twins seem to be fine," she said. You got here soon enough that I was able to save them."

A brilliant smile lit up Granger's face, blinding in its intensity.

"Thank Merlin," she said. Draco could see that she was tearing up in relief. He felt distinctly uncomfortable.

Luckily, he was saved from much more of _that_, because Potter, Weasel, and the her other friends chose that moment to come bursting into the room.

"Hermione!" A high-pitched voice cried, as the Weaselette pushed roughly past him. "Are you okay?"

Granger grinned. "Yes, yes I am," she said, still sort of tearfully. Weaselette still look concerned when she saw the tears in her eyes. She turned fiercely to Hannah.

"Why is she crying?" She demanded. Hannah smiled slightly.

"She's relieved. The twins survived," she explained. Weaselette grinned and turned back to her friend.

"That's wonderful," she said.

Draco didn't get to hear anymore because he was pushed into the wall of the room, a wand pointed at his neck.

"What happened?" Potter demanded angrily. Draco immediately tensed.

"Now Potter," he said, a smirk spreading across his face. "Didn't anyone teach you any manners?"

He was stunned when he felt his nose break, and his eyes narrowed.

"I asked you a question. You're a suspect in a case of dark magic. You know that use of the torture curse will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban," he said through gritted teeth. Draco rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't me, Potter," he said. "Granger was helping me with something personal, and someone got really pissed at her. I _brought_ her here, Potter. If I had cursed her, I would have left her there to die."

That last statement _definitely_ didn't help him. More wands were pointed at him after that.

"Harry, please," Granger said. Draco turned to her in shock. He should have known that she'd defend him, but for some reason, the thought never occurred to him. "It wasn't him."

Potter gritted his teeth but moved his wand from Draco's neck. Draco rubbed the sore spot and sent Potter a glare.

"What happened, Hermione?" He asked gently. Granger looked at Draco.

"I really can't tell you," she said, surprising everyone. "It isn't my secret to tell."

Everyone in the room except Granger turned to face Draco. He lifted his chin proudly and straightened up. Hermione could have told them that he was stiff and defensive, but the others saw it as him putting on airs, and they couldn't stand it.

"You aren't looking good, Malfoy," Weasel hissed. "Right now, you are obstructing justice, and aiding and abetting a criminal by refusing to tell us who it is."

"Am I now?" Draco said, forcing bravado he didn't feel. He was fighting his considerably sized instinct for self-preservation to protect his secrets.

"Ron-" Hermione began.

"Stay out of it," he hissed. Draco saw the hurt look in her eyes, even though the others didn't. That girl had some of the most expressive eyes he'd ever seen.

"It was Astoria Greengrass," Draco said. "I won't tell you why, but you can see in my memories and Granger's that its true."

All eyes turned to Hermione, who nodded.

"He's telling the truth. Now why don't you go arrest her and leave him alone?" She suggested. Potter nodded.

"Come on, Ron," he said, grabbing his arm and apparating away. Granger sighed in relief. All that tension couldn't have been good for her healing.

With Potter and Weasel gone, he could relax long enough to figure out who else was in the room.

Fred and George Weasley were there, along with a few others that he recognized from Hogwarts. To his dismay, he saw Katie Bell mixed in among her supporters.

One of his biggest regrets was cursing Katie. He hadn't meant for anything to happen to her.

He slunk out of the room, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with all the Gryffindor-ness in the room. He was soon joined by Hannah.

"Too much Gryffindor for you?" Hannah asked, rolling her eyes. He nodded.

"That can't be healthy for anyone," he joked. She laughed and nodded before they both fell silent.

"Once the others clear out, she's good to go home," she said. He looked at her in surprise. "I heard that she was staying with you from Harry. He wasn't happy. He wanted me to make sure to check for…what did he call it…the gist of it was something like 'collateral damage,'" she said, rolling her eyes. "You two are completely ridiculous. You really need to move past this childish hatred."

Draco rolled his eyes. "That's likely," he said. "Didn't you notice how he automatically assumed that it was my fault?"

She nodded. "That's the old hatred rearing its ugly head."

At that, she got up and left, leaving him alone with those disturbing thoughts.

Eventually, the others left, and he was able to go back into the room.

"Ready to go back to the manor?" he asked. She nodded.

"Thank Merlin they finally left," she said. "I mean, it was really good of them to come up here to see me, but did they really need to stay so bloody _long_?" She asked. "Answering their constant questions wasn't exactly what I wanted to do after being tortured."

Draco smirked. "I'll be back. You start getting ready so that we can get out of this place sooner."

Draco left the room, walking through the halls until he found the registration desk. "Hermione Granger is checking out," he told the woman at the desk. She looked up at him before nodding and inserting it into the computer.

"Have a good day," she told him. He returned the pleasantry before returning to collect Granger.

They flood back to her room in the manor, and Draco went to find his mother and see if father was home. If not, he thought that they should do something for Granger. He may act unaffected, but he got shivers at the mere whisper of that memory. She'd been tortured because of him. He wanted to make it up to her.

"Ah, Draco," his mother said as he walked into the study.

"Mother," he replied.

"How'd the trial go?" She asked. He winced. "That well, huh?"

He smirked. "Better," he said. "Hermione was able to counter every claim that Astoria brought up, seemingly without a thought. They agreed to reopen the case."

"It sounds like it went really well," his mother said. He grimaced.

"It did. Until we left the building and Astoria felt the need to torture her for interfering," he said, feigning detachment.

"Ah," she said.

"Yeah," Draco replied. "We spent a few hours in the hospital because of it. She panicked, asking me to take her to her healer for her pregnancy, thinking she'd lost her twins. Then, of course, her bloody _friends_ heard about it and came bursting in, accusing me of cursing her before she cleared that up. Then they stayed around an hour and a half bombarding her with questions."

"That sounds…interesting," his mother said.

"And boring," he said flatly.

"What happened to your nose?" His mother asked suddenly. Draco glared, remembering getting punched.

"Potter," he muttered unhappily. She nodded and healed him with a simple flick of her wand.

"Let's go shopping," Narcissa suggested randomly. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" He asked. "We go from torture to _shopping_?"

His mother glared at him. "Hush. Hermione probably doesn't have many clothes now that she was uprooted. I can't believe I just thought of that. And we could get some new books for the library. And you can go to that broomstick place you like so much. And we'll eat at that fancy restaurant I like so much," she said.

Draco sighed. There'd be no changing her mind.

"I can't believe this," Hermione muttered. Draco's mother seemed to be using the girl as a life sized dress-up doll. He couldn't blame her. She was currently wearing some frilly pink monstrosity.

"Oh, you look wonderful, dear!" His mother exclaimed. He rolled his eyes behind her back.

"Mother, she looks like a wedding cake," he said bluntly. Granger sent him a glare. "What? Just speaking the truth."

Now it was his mother's turn to glare at him. She turned and gave him a defiant look, her hands going to her hips.

"Would _you_ like to pick the outfits then?" She asked. Hermione looked horrified. He smirked.

"I would."

Granger looked ready to pass out.

"Get back in there, Granger," he said. "I'll be back."

He waded through racks of monstrosities before settling on two dresses, a few tops, a skirt, and three pairs of jeans. He threw it all into the stall she was in, causing her to shriek when it all landed on top of her.

"Arsehole," she yelled through the door. He barked a laugh.

"Just try on the clothes so we can buy them and leave," he said.

"This is much to skanky," she said. He winced. He knew she'd have a problem with that one when she first saw it.

"Just try it," he said. "It looks worse than it actually is."

"And you would know that _how_?" She asked.

"Natural talent," he answered. He could practically feel her rolling her eyes behind the door.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were-" she began.

"I'm not," he snapped, cutting her off. "Just try on the damn dress."

She opened the door and poked her head out after a few minutes.

"There is no way that I'm-"

Her protests turned into an indignant shriek as he yanked the door open and pulled her out.

He smirked, stepping back to look it over. He was _good_. Who knew _that_ body was hiding beneath those clothes?

"We're getting it," he said. She glared.

"Absolutely not. It's _much_ too short," she said. He sighed.

"Fine. Try on the green one," he said, pushing her back into the dressing room.

She walked out of the room, and Draco had to work to keep his jaw from dropping. It was perfect. She looked like…he didn't even know. There weren't words.

"That one," he said at the same time as his mother. She rolled her eyes with a slight grin and walked back into the room, not arguing a bit. Obviously, she couldn't find anything to complain about.

Draco found himself in some really fancy restaurant, making small talk with his mother while Granger sat there moodily. He'd made her buy everything he'd picked out except the short dress. She was upset that she hadn't hand her way.

Eventually, they returned to the manor, where they all went to their separate rooms to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_I feel so much better  
>Now that you're gone forever<br>I tell myself that I don't miss you at all  
>I'm not lying, denying that I feel so much better<br>Now that you're gone forever  
>And now it's coming clear<br>That I don't need you here  
>And in this world around me<br>I'm glad you disappeared  
><em>~Gone Forever by Three Days Grace

Chapter 9

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling completely refreshed and with her slytherin showing. She smirked. She would be getting her revenge. It was no longer about justice. Now, it was personal. Hermione could have lost her kids because of that woman. It was time to return the favor.

"Prissy," she called, rustling through her back that she brought from Michael's house.

"Yes, Miss?" The house elf asked. Hermione sighed. She hated this slavery, but Malfoy had made it very clear that the elves wouldn't be getting freed. She handed the elf the object she pulled out of her bag.

"This is a video camera. It's a muggle object. I have it set; you'd just need to push a button. I want you to go to Astoria Greengrass's house and record every interaction she has with Scorpius for the next few days. Sunday morning, come back, and we'll take a look. Okay?" She said. The elf nodded.

Hermione pointed to a red button. "When you see them, just push that button and point the lens at them."

The elf apparated away with her enchanted camera. She felt sort of guilty for doing this, but it would help justice be bestowed on that woman.

She wandered out of her room, knowing that Lucius would already be at work today, since it was Friday. She was dying for some breakfast.

Narcissa and Malfoy were already at the table, talking about something. When Hermione sat down, the discussion turned to the upcoming trial. Hermione reassured them that she thought Draco would win.

On Sunday, Prissy appeared in Hermione's bedroom with a 'pop.' She handed over the camera, and Hermione watched it, deleting anything that wouldn't help Draco win the case, and keeping anything that would. Then she thanked the elf and apparated to the Ministry.

Once she found the Chief Lawyer's office, she presented him the camera, which had the clips she wanted on it. As she played it for him, his face got darker and darker.

"You realize you broke the law to get this, don't you?" He told Hermione. She nodded.

"But she was the suspect in a crime involving the Cruciatus Curse, so when you put it in that light, the investigation was completely legal," she said. "It's only natural that people would be curious about her ability to take care of her son after she tortured someone."

The lawyer nodded. "Go on in to the court room. The other witnesses, besides Draco, Astoria, and Scorpius, are already there."

She turned and left the room, meeting the glares of the witnesses for the defense defiantly.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she snapped at one of them who just wouldn't go back to his conversation. He flipped her off. She smirked but didn't retaliate, because at that moment, Draco walked in, looking weary and like he'd rather be anywhere else.

She walked up to him.

"You'll do fine," she said encouragingly. She wasn't sure when they'd gotten close enough for her to be encouraging him, but she was pretty sure that it had to do with how vulnerable he'd been. He gave her a weak smile, and in that grin, she could see how nervous he was, how much this meant to him. She squeezed his hand in encouragement.

"Granger…this is so important. I can't help dwelling on the 'what if I lose,'" he said. Hermione grinned encouragingly.

"Don't think about it. It will impact how effective you are in your delivery," she said. "If they see any nervousness, they might think you have something to hide."

He nodded.

"I want to see you win this, Malfoy," she said. Then she turned and walked over to where she was supposed to sit, giving him thumbs up. For the moment, they could put aside past animosities and just be two people with the same goals.

The case dragged on forever. Hermione delivered her speech, pulling the torture card. That alone was enough to send her to Azkaban, and everyone in the courtroom knew it. After Astoria's witnesses took the chair, the videos came on, showing just how horribly Astoria treated Scorpius.

When the Wizengamot finally left to deliberate, the tension escalated tenfold. Everyone knew that it could go either way. No one was sure of anything.

It felt like hours before they came back, but it was really only around 30 minutes. Kingsley Shackelbolt walked to the podium.

"We have come to our decision," he said, looking around the courtroom and meeting the eyes of both Astoria and Draco.

"In a near unanimous vote, we have decided that custody of Scorpius should…" He trailed off, drawing out the tension. Hermione was ready to run up there, grab the paper in his hand, and read it herself, but she knew she wouldn't. That would be against the law.

"Go to Draco Malfoy," Shackelbolt declared. Hermione let out a relieved sigh before turning happily to Draco.

As everyone cleared out, Hermione walked up to Draco.

"We won!" She said happily. He nodded and a genuine smile lit up his face. He had Scorpius in his arms and he had an air as if nothing could go wrong that would break him out of his sunny mood. It was almost breathtaking.

They walked out of the courtroom together, exiting the ministry. They were going to go back to the manor now for some much earned celebration.

Just as they walked out the door, Astoria came up behind them, pushing past Hermione as if she wasn't even there.

"I hope you're happy, _Draco_," she spat. "Now Scorpius won't have a mother."

"Oh, as opposed to before, when he didn't have a father?" He said condescendingly. She glared at him, and turned to Scorpius when she heard a slight noise come from him.

"And _you_, little ungrateful brat! Is this how you repay your mother?" She asked. Draco's eyes narrowed and he passed Scorpius to his mother, who had come up when she saw them exit the building.

"Don't treat him like that," he said sharply, using his height to his advantage, towering over Astoria threateningly. Hermione nervously noted that they were starting to get an audience.

"Malfoy," she muttered. He turned to her irritably.

"What?" He snapped.

"Look around," she said. He noticed the growing crowd, and nervously backed away. Astoria turned her glare to her.

"And _you_," she said venomously. "This is all your fault." Astoria started to reach for her wand. Hermione was doing the same.

"I didn't want Scorpius in the wrong hands," she said. "I didn't want his life to be completely miserable. He may have become the next Voldemort if he'd had to live with _you_."

"You _bitch_!" Astoria shrilled, pointing her wand at her. "_Crucio_!" Hermione steeled herself, covering her stomach and waiting for the pain, but it never came. She opened her eyes and saw why.

Draco must have stepped in front of her when Astoria tried to curse her, because he was currently writhing on the ground.

"_Daddy_!" Scorpius cried, trying to break free of Narcissa's grip on him. But the older woman held firm.

When the spell stopped, Hermione knelt next to him and touched his shoulder gently, her eyes full of sympathy, gratitude, and shock. When she looked up at Astoria, she saw pure fury. The woman reminded her of Bellatrix Lestrange in that moment.

At least, she _did_, until the aurors came up behind her and grabbed her arms. Then her glare turned to them.

"What are you doing?" She shrieked.

"You're under arrest," one of them said. "You just earned yourself a one-way ticket to Azkaban. You were already going to be taken there after what came to light in the trial, but now we have even more reason to lock you up."

Astoria screamed indignantly and fought them, but they dragged her away with smiles on their faces that said that she was way overreacting.

"Are you okay?" She asked Draco. Narcissa let Scorpius down, and he ran to his father, who nodded.

"I'm fine," he said gruffly. "Nothing I haven't felt before. Now let's get to that party."

They apparated to the manor, walking right through the front door without even worrying if Lucius was home. He supposedly had a business trip this weekend.

They walked into the dining room where everyone was standing…watching a man who was glaring at them with long silver blonde hair. When the man whirled on them, Hermione realized with a feeling of shock that was like ice water being pored down her back that it was Lucius Malfoy.

And he did _not_ look happy.


	11. Chapter 11

_I will remember how you scream  
>I can't afford to care<br>I can't afford to care  
>I am suffocating<br>You have failed to pull me in  
>I will drag you down again<br>_~Lights Out by Breaking Benjamin

Chapter 10

Draco stared at his father and felt the blood slowly drain from his face. He held Scorpius tighter and flicked his eyes quickly towards Hermione before watching his father again. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at _all_.

"Father," he said while he tried to find some topic of small talk that might be able to save him. "You're back."

_Lame_, he told himself. Lucius seemed to think so too, because he gave him one of those looks of his that could wilt plants.

"Draco, what is this?" He asked. He looked like he was about to blow a gasket, and his tone suggested that he was even closer to the breaking point than he appeared.

"Um…" He said, unsure exactly what to say.

"Please, Lucius, don't be daft. It's a party," Narcissa said coolly, surprising Hermione. Lucius turned to her in shock.

"Narcissa, what is the meaning of this?" He asked, his anger not seeming to extend to her. Draco could tell that Hermione was shocked.

"Why, to celebrate Draco getting Scorpius back, of course," she said, as if it were obvious.

Lucius looked marginally less angry when he heard that news, but clearly it wasn't enough to distract him from the fact that mudbloods and blood traitors were in his house.

"While that's all fine and good," Lucius said, turning to Draco, "I would appreciate it if everyone left this house who isn't supposed to be here."

Draco looked at his guests apologetically before motioning them out.

"Thanks for everything," he said as they filed out. He was relieved to see that Hermione had been smart enough to file out with them. He owed her, and didn't want her to get hurt because of him.

"Congratulations, Draco," his father said proudly.

At that moment, Hermione tried to sneak back in, probably thinking that they had disappeared into another room. Draco tried to warn her with his eyes over his father's shoulder, but she wasn't looking in their direction. Unfortunately, his father saw the warning in his eyes and turned around.

"Granger," he barked when he saw her. She winced and slowly turned to face him.

"Sir," she said.

"I thought I told everyone to get out," he said through gritted teeth. She nodded, backing up slowly. Draco could have kicked her. Showing fear to a shake only made it want to attack. He would know.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said, keeping her voice steady. "You see, I'm his lawyer, and there were a few last minute things that I had to talk to him about," she said, her voice growing more confident with every word. Draco had to admire her quick thinking, especially since he knew that she wasn't a very good liar at all.

Lucius gave her a searching look before nodding slowly.

"Alright. Do hurry up this business," he said. "I'll be in my study." With that, he disappeared into a small room off the main dining hall. Draco nearly sagged in relief, still holding his son.

"You're bloody lucky, Granger," he practically hissed through his teeth. Hermione nodded. "Come on."

They walked through the manor to the library, and Draco tried to squash down his anger. He turned into his bedroom and sat Scorpius on his bed, affectionately ruffling his hair before walking out again.

Draco couldn't be prouder. His son looked just like him. He had his blonde hair, with a little bit of a curl from Astoria, his gray eyes, and was basically a mirror image of him, just with softer features.

Once he entered the library, he rounded on Granger.

"How could you be so _stupid_?" He said, his voice low and dangerous. He was standing stiffly, trying not to throw something or cause some other damage to the priceless books in the library. The girl's eyes widened, and she took a small step back that someone else wouldn't have noticed. Unfortunately for her, Draco was a slytherin through and through and he was raised to notice those miniscule signs of weakness.

"I'm sorry, Draco," she said miserably. He was surprised by the use of his first name, but quickly shook his head to clear it. He needed to be the cold, hard Death Eater right now.

"I'm going to tell Father that you left, okay? You're going to go to your room." He said. Her eyes blazed.

"You can't order me around like a house elf," she said, her hands going to her hips in her usual indignant pose. He raised a brow at her.

"Try me," he said, his voice conveying how angry he was. Actually, some of it was worry, but he didn't want anyone to know that, so he turned it into anger at himself for being worried in the first place.

She seemed to realize that he was in an awful mood and nodded, walking out of the room, but looking over her shoulder sadly at him as she left.

Draco felt bad for treating Hermione that way, but maybe it was better that they returned to the way things had been before the Astoria Incident. He couldn't afford to care for her, even as a friend.

He walked back downstairs, to his father's study.

"Granger left," he said. "She just wanted me to sign a paper and to tell me congratulations." Lucius looked up at him and nodded.

"Good," he said. "Sometime this week, we'll make a nursery for Scorpius." Draco nodded with a slight smile and left the study. He wanted to sleep. The day had drained him, both physically- from Astoria's Cruciatus Curse- and mentally. He was glad that this whole ordeal was over.

He put Scorpius in an old crib that his mother had in the closet before falling asleep himself.

The next moment, he woke up violently when someone shook him awake. It was his mother, and she looked terrified. He sat up quickly, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach.

"Draco, come quickly," she said, her voice low. That was when he heard the screaming.

"Shite," he muttered, ignoring his mother's disappointed look. "What did that girl do now?"

His mother looked worried, and he knew that this wouldn't end well for anyone, particularly him.

He had forgotten to tell Hermione that his father would be home today, he realized. He wanted to hit something. How could he have been so _stupid_?

He followed his mother into the dining room where his father and Hermione were arguing. Was she seriously _arguing_ with his father? Did she actually think that would do anything?

Apparently.

When he walked into the room though, it fell eerily silent, and his father turned to him.

"I thought you said that she had left last night," his father said, stalking toward him like a great cat. Draco held firm, but he felt something within him shrinking in fright. The other part of him sneered at that part, but Draco couldn't. He couldn't do _anything_ really, when faced with that much anger in his father's gaze. He was like a deer in the headlights.

"You weren't _lying_ to me, were you, Draco?" He said venomously. That's when Draco knew that it wouldn't end well.

"Girl," Lucius said suddenly. "Mudblood. Get out of my house and don't come back. You might have been staying here for a while, but you aren't anymore. Go get your things and get out." Hermione nodded meekly. Draco could tell that she was trying to be strong, but she just couldn't accomplish it.

"Narcissa, see to it that she actually _leaves_ this time," Lucius said. The woman obeyed and followed Hermione out of the room.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Draco," Lucius said. Draco lowered his head.

"I know, father."

"Why was she here?" He asked.

Draco didn't know what to say. Should he tell him that his mother had invited her? No, that wouldn't go over very well. He'd just have to take the blame himself.

"She needed somewhere to stay," he said. Lucius raised an eyebrow.

"And you just offered your home to a girl you used to hate?" He asked. Draco glared.

"No. She said that she had already asked her friends and that she didn't have anywhere else to go," he lied.

"You should have known better."

He heard a crack on his cheek, but he didn't feel anything. He couldn't help thinking that he's failed Hermione. She's done so much for him, and he couldn't even give her a place to stay.

"_Crucio_," he heard dimly. He dropped to his knees with the force of the pain, but didn't scream, merely writhing on the floor. A second curse was cast, and he felt his body start to peel apart, felt his skin separate from his muscle and he muscle from his bone.

Suddenly, it stopped, but he didn't even realize it. He didn't register the voices for a few minutes.

"-your own _son,_ Lucius," someone was saying angrily. He felt a tender hand on his back, between his shoulder blades, but didn't bother to look up to see who it was before he faded into the black as he was hit with another curse.


	12. Chapter 12

_I don't believe in luck  
>They don't believe in us<br>But I believe we're the enemy  
><em>~Destroya by My Chemical Romance

Chapter 11

Hermione heard rough, hoarse screaming as she packed, and her heart bled for Draco. This was all her fault. When they suddenly cut off, she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried. Either way, she knew that she couldn't do anything about it.

She walked out the door, and when she got to the gate, she turned to have one last regretful look at the manor. She had been starting to like it there. And her relationship with Draco had come so far.

She turns back and pushes the wrought iron gate open and steps through, apparating away.

When she materializes at Harry's door, she closes her eyes and takes a second to calm down. Then she takes a deep breath and knocks.

A few seconds later, Harry comes to the door.

"Hermione?" he says in confusion, his eyebrows drawing together. She smiles slightly.

"Hey, Harry," she says. "Does your offer still stand?" Harry smiles sadly and nods.

"Yeah. Yeah, it does," he said. "Come on in Hermione."

"Just for a few days," she said quickly. "Just long enough for me to find my own place."

"You know you can stay as long as you need to," he said. She nods.

"I know. But you know that I hate to intrude on you and Ginny."

Harry showed her to a room and left her to unpack, somehow sensing that she wanted to be alone. Hermione had never been more grateful that Harry knew her so well.

She hated that she was boarding with Harry and Ginny. She felt like she was intruding. She prided herself on being self-sufficient. Even just staying with Malfoy had a huge impact on her pride.

She decided to just go to sleep. She didn't really have anything better top do that day, and besides, she'd had a really long morning. A little catnap couldn't hurt, right?

That little catnap turned into her being shaken awake by Ginny at 5 pm. Ginny had a stony mask on, even though her eyes were widened in shock, and that was when Hermione knew that something bad had happened. She sat up quickly, barely missing hitting Ginny with her forehead.

"What happened?" She asked, jumping out of bed. She was relieved to see that she had on sweats and a tank top, because she had a feeling that whatever caused Ginny to wake her up would require her to move quickly and efficiently.

"There's been an attack," she said, handing Hermione a wit-sharpening potion. Hermione nodded gratefully before downing the whole thing in one gulp. She shook her head to clear it before springing into action.

"Who?" She asked as she grabbed her jacket and her bag.

"Percy," Ginny said. Hermione turned to her friend, her eyes full of sympathy. Ginny immediately looked away.

They walked out of the room and met Harry in the foyer, pacing anxiously back and forth. When he heard them enter, his head snapped up.

"Its time to warn the Order," he said. Hermione nodded gravely, shrugging on the jacket. "But first, we have to go to the scene, see what we can find."

Hermione nodded again.

"Is he-?" she began. Harry shot her a sharp look, nodding slightly towards Ginny, a miniscule movement that someone else would have missed. Then he nodded gravely. Hermione felt her stomach turn to ice.

"Let's go," she said. Harry grabbed her and Ginny and turned, apparating them to the crime scene.

The first thing they noticed was the Dark Mark, sickly green and very real in the sky above the house. It seemed darker over the house than in the rest of the neighborhood, and Hermione had to work to suppress a shiver.

"It looks so…sinister," Ginny said, looking around. Hermione nodded.

"Let's go," Harry said firmly. Hermione knew that he was trying to keep emotional detachment, and that they weren't making it easy on him by saying things like that.

They walked up the short brick path to the door. Harry pushed it, and it opened with an eerie '_creak'_ sound. It was all Hermione could do to repress a shudder.

"_Lumos_," Harry and Hermione said once they were safely inside. Ginny's light flared up a few seconds later.

The inside of the house was completely trashed. Glass was shattered everywhere, furniture torn up and destroyed, and books and knick-knacks scattered everywhere.

They did a sweep of the first floor, looking for clues before starting up the stairs. The more they searched the more Hermione felt that something bad was about to happen.

At the top of the stairs, they split up, each of them going to a different room.

"Constant vigilance," Harry reminded them as he slipped into his room.

Hermione entered what she assumed was Percy's bedroom. She started to look around. The search didn't last very long.

"_Harry_," she yelled, clutching her stomach.

She found the body staked to the wall. She ran a diagnostic test and discovered that the cause of death was the killing curse. He had been tortured three times, and there was residue from the _Illusio_ curse. Hermione felt sick as she studied the body, finding deep scratches in the skin from when, she assumed, Percy had been under that curse. He had probably clawed himself thinking that there was something on him.

Harry entered the room at a sprint, with Ginny hot on his heels. When he saw the body, he tried to block it from Ginny, but she had already seen it. She turned around, and Hermione could tell that she was trying to keep it together. After all, Percy may have been a git, but he had been her brother.

Hermione turned away to examine the rest of the room as Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny. Hermione's throat burned. She wished that she had someone like that.

Bringing her wand around at eye level, she nearly dropped it when she reached the part of the wall across from the body.

The Dark Mark was burned into the wall. Below it, something had been written.

_Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider, who sat down beside her, and _killed_ Miss Muffet that day_.

"Harry," Hermione said, gesturing to the wall. Harry went white, easily figuring out what Hermione had.

"The next target is a girl," he stated. Hermione nodded.

"But its impossible to know who, Harry," she said. He nodded, but she had a feeling that he hadn't even heard her. His eyes held that far away look in them that she recognized. He was thinking, and she had a feeling that she wouldn't like what was going through his head.

"We have to warn the others," Ginny said. Hermione looked at her and nodded.

"I agree. We should call a meeting, and soon," she said. "And I need to tell Malfoy."

Harry looked at her like she'd grown three heads.

"What?" He asked. Clearly, he thought that she'd gone crazy.

"I need to tell Malfoy. He deserves to know. And besides, he's not all that bad once you get to know him a little better," she said. "He's changed."

Harry looked at her, and he clearly didn't believe her. "Uh huh," he said flatly. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Please Harry," she said. "He needs to know. He already has ideas on who we're dealing with. His help could be invaluable. Don't let your old prejudice mar your judgment."

"Hermione," Ginny said. "I think Harry's right. What if he's playing you?"

Hermione's gaze flared. "You think I'd fall for that?" She asked. "I'd think I'd recognize if someone was playing me. After all, I have enough experience with it."

No one said it, but Hermione knew that they were thinking that if she hadn't noticed it the past six times, what made this time any different. It made her blood boil to know that they really thought that she was being hoodwinked, but she didn't say anything, merely disapparating.

She arrived back at Grimmauld Place and immediately sent Malfoy a patronus.

"Meet me at the place we ate before," she said. "At 12 pm tomorrow for lunch."

She sent the otter off to deliver her message and returned to her bed. She'd wait for the others to get home before she went to sleep.

The next morning she woke up, and the first thought in her head was the re-realization that Percy was dead. The second thing that she remembered was that she had lunch with Malfoy today to tell him the news. She was sure that _he'd_ be thrilled.

The morning flew by, and before she knew it, she was standing in front of that fancy restaurant.

She heard a 'pop' and looked around to find the source, realizing that Malfoy had arrived. She walked over to him.

"Shall we?" She said, mock chivalrously.

"We shall," he replied. She grinned slightly before returning to the topic at hand.

"I have news," she said. He nodded solemnly.

"Table for two," he told the waitress. She smiled and led them to a booth before leaving again. "I'm listening."

She nods. "Last night, there was another attack, this time on Percy Weasley," she said.

"Go on."

"On the wall, it said '_Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider who sat down beside her and _killed_ Miss Muffet that day_,'" she said. "My diagnostic spell also registered the use of that _Illusio_ curse again. This is serious, Malfoy. They're showing their power."

He nodded. "I'll watch out," he said. "Thanks for telling me." It looked like it literally pained him to say thanks for anything. She smirked as the waitress came back to ask for their drinks.


	13. Chapter 13

_I tremble  
>They're going to eat me alive<br>If I stumble  
>They're going to eat me alive<br>_~Help, I'm Alive by Metric

Chapter 12

A few days after Hermione's talk with Draco, she found herself in the hospital. _She_ was fine. It was Ginny that was hurt.

According to her quidditch team, Ginny had been fine that day. It had been going great, and they had begun thinking that they could win this next game, taking them to the World Cup.

Then, out of nowhere, Ginny almost seemed to lose control of her broom, and she fell. She hit the ground hard, breaking two of her ribs and getting a serious concussion. The rib punctured something, Hermione couldn't remember what, and that was why it was taking so long, even with magic.

Hermione also had the sneaking suspicion that Ginny had spell damage, too, but she wasn't going to interfere with the healers. They knew what they were doing.

Hermione was just happy that Ginny was alive. Ginny kept saying that she was attacked, and Hermione believed her. She thought that Ginny's broom was probably cursed, and then the Death Eaters themselves tried to attack when the broom curse didn't work. Ginny was just too good of a flier for it to.

Ginny was lucky to be alive. So far, she was the only victim that had lived to tell the tale.

After a while, Hermione decided to get a snack from the vending machines and take a break from the stressful atmosphere in the room.

"Granger!" Hermione turned at the sound of her name and came face to face with Malfoy, holding Scorpius and looking rather anxious.

"Oh, Malfoy," she said uncertainly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," he said. "I heard what happened to the Weaselette, so I came here, thinking that this was where you'd be. There's something I need to talk to you about. It's important." Hermione sighed.

"Malfoy, I'd love to chat, but one of my friends just got attacked. I seriously doubt that anything could be important enough to drag me away from this," she said. Malfoy looked almost hurt for a second, but when she looked again, it was gone.

"I know. Believe it or not, I understand. I know you're upset. But this really can't wait," he said. Hermione sighs.

"Fine. But make it quick." He smiles in relief.

"Okay. Here's what happened," he begins. She looks at him expectantly.

"The Death Eaters came to my house; well actually, it was just Rudolphus. Anyway, they were recruiting. My father joined them. He really didn't have much of a choice. But then they asked about me. And he just gave me to them, without asking my opinion. He threw me to the wolves again, Granger.

"I need your help. I don't want to be involved with them again. The things I saw…" at this point, he shudders.

Hermione watched him for a few minutes, trying to judge if he was sincere. When she decided that he was, she sighs.

"I can only do so much," she said. "You really need to talk to Harry. He'd be able to help you a lot more than I could."

He sighs and makes a face, clearly not happy with what she said, but at the same time, he wasn't surprised.

"I'm really sorry, Draco," she said, surprising both of them by using his first name.

He watches her for a few seconds and then nods. "Fine," he says reluctantly, seeming like he really doesn't want to do what he's about to agree to. "Send Potter out here. I'll try to talk to him."

Hermione smiles sadly.

"You may be surprised," she says. "It may not go as bad as you think it will."

He raises a skeptical eyebrow but says nothing.

Hermione turns and goes back into the hospital room.

"Harry," she says, walking up to him and gently grabbing his shoulder. He looks up at her.

"What?" He says, the stress getting to him.

"Someone wants to talk to you," she says. He runs a hand through his hair.

"Can't it wait?" He asks. Hermione shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, but it really can't," she says. "It's really important."

He sighs and nods, following her out of the room.

When he sees Draco, he starts to turn, but Hermione grabs his arm.

"Harry," she says. "This is important."

He sighs and turns back around.

"Malfoy," he says, making the word sound as if it is the root of all evil. Hermione gives him a look.

_At least_ try_ to be civil_, she mouths. Harry glares.

"It's _Malfoy_, Hermione," he says out loud. Hermione rolls her eyes.

"Anymore intelligent information?" She asks sarcastically.

"I don't want to talk to you any more than you want to talk to me, Potter," he says.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asks.

"I need you to hide me," he says. Harry raises an eyebrow.

"From what?" He asks.

"My father joined the Death Eaters, and volunteered me without asking if I wanted to do it. Once volunteered, you can't say no to these people," he says. "I don't want to be a Death Eater."

Harry sighs.

"And how do I know you aren't lying?" He asks. "How do I know that you aren't a spy?"

"Harry-" Hermione says. Draco cuts her off.

"You don't. You just have to trust that I'm telling the truth. I don't want to be a Death Eater. You're my only hope. Why else would I be lowering myself to ask you for help?" He says. Hermione shakes her head, frowning. It's almost like Draco doesn't _want_ anyone to think that he's actually a good person. And that had started out so beautifully too.

"Harry," Hermione says, seeing that he's about to deny his request. "Don't let old hatred get in the way."

He sighs. "Fine," he says reluctantly. "Pick out a flat near Grimmauld Place. Hermione and I will ward it ourselves to make sure that no one but Order members can get in."

Draco smiles in relief. "Thank you, Potter," he says stiffly. Harry grins slightly and offers his hand. They shake on it, both of them looking like they tasted something nasty.

"Um, Harry?" Hermione said tentatively. He looks at her.

"Yeah?"

"About my…flat situation," she says. He seems to realize what she's asking because his eyes widen.

"Absolutely not," he says.

"But there's safety in numbers!" She protests. He sighs.

"And you really think that, if it came down to it, Malfoy would protect you?" He asks. Hermione looks down.

"I can't be certain, but I think he would," she says. She meets Draco's eyes, noting that he looks surprised at her faith in him.

"If he agrees," Harry says with a sigh. "You would have to have another Order member living with you. I'm not taking any chances with you."

They both look at Draco, who shrugs.

"Whatever," he says. Hermione smiles, pleasantly surprised.

"Well then, Hermione and another Order member will move in with you once you get your flat," Harry says.


	14. Chapter 14

_I'm at war with the world  
>'Cause I ain't never gonna sell my soul<br>I've already made up my mind  
>No matter what, I can't be bought or sold<br>_~Awake And Alive by Skillet

Chapter 13

It took about three days until Malfoy found a flat, but when Hermione got his letter, she wasn't surprised. He had looked for one…she shook her head just thinking it. It was more like a small house.

She stood outside the building, waiting for Harry. They were going to set up the wards today.

Just as she was starting to get impatient, she heard the pop of apparition and turned to see Harry walking towards her. She smiled and waited for him to reach her before turning and walking into the building.

The place was really nice, even just the lobby. Everything was decorated tastefully, with fake plants and the whole nine yards. She had a feeling that it had cost them a small fortune to decorate this place.

They saw Draco waiting for them by the front desk, leaning there casually with his arms crossed. His expression said that he'd rather be anywhere but there. Hermione smirked slightly before straightening her face again.

They nodded to each other as Harry and her walked up to him. Draco pushed off the desk.

"Let's get this over with," he said, walking away. Hermione shot Harry a look and mouthed _what crawled up his arse_. Harry choked on a laugh before shrugging.

"Are you two coming?" Draco asked impatiently. They rolled their eyes and followed him.

The new flat was on the topmost floor. The elevator opened to a hallway with red and gold carpet and lots of doors. Each door had a small, dark oak desk next to it with a dark green fake plant on top.

They walked down that first hallway and turned right. At the end of that hall, they turned left, and Draco stopped in front of the second door.

"This is it," he said, unlocking it and pushing it open. Harry and Hermione walked inside and began the wards.

"This reminds me of seventh year," Hermione said quietly to Harry. He nodded solemnly.

"Except this time, we have no idea how we're supposed to fight the Death Eaters," Malfoy said. Hermione shot him a look.

"That was an incredibly negative statement," she said. He smirked and went back to studying a vase with much too much interest.

He had to decorate the flat, including the furnishing. From what Hermione could see, his mother had helped. She couldn't help noticing the details that reminded her of the manor. Which were a lot. She wondered if Draco missed it.

"Optimism just means you lack information," he said confidently. "Which, clearly, in this situation, we _do_."

Hermione turned to face him, completely forgetting about the wards.

"Why don't you cheer up?" She asked. He smirked.

"Because tomorrow may be another day, but you'll still be in it. And we'll still be stuck in this second war that we know nothing about," he said. Hermione's expression was steadily getting darker.

"Well, maybe if you stopped strutting around like a peacock on caffeine, we'd actually get something _done_ around here," Hermione said. Harry choked on a snicker and Draco smirked.

"If you were half as funny as you thought you were, you'd be twice as funny as you actually _are_," Draco said.

Hermione gave him a look before turning back to the warding.

"What, no comeback?" Draco asked with a sneer. When Hermione didn't respond, she could practically feel his smirk fall. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course I'm listening," she said. "Unfortunately, that doesn't mean I care."

After that, it fell silent in the flat, almost awkwardly so. Hermione could feel the tension emanating from Draco.

Finally they finished, and Hermione turned to leave with Harry. She needed to get her stuff and find Charlie so that she could move into the flat. And plus, she was happy to get away from Malfoy for a while.

"Where are _you_ going, Granger?" Malfoy said. Hermione suppressed a smirk.

"Careful, Malfoy," she said. "You're starting to sound like you might actually care."

Draco smirked. "Don't flatter yourself, Granger. And besides, I don't remember asking what you thought."

"Well, if you ever _do_ ask for my opinion, rest assured that it will always be that you're an incredible pain," she said.

"I really dislike you," Draco said. Hermione laughed. That was when she realized that they had been steadily moving toward each other. They were now so close that she had to tilt her head up to look him in the eyes.

"Don't you worry," she said. "The feeling is mutual."

They stood there for a few awkward moments before Harry said something. Hermione didn't register what it was, but suddenly Draco was practically dying of laughter. Harry and Hermione looked at each other skeptically.

"What did you _say_?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged helplessly.

"I honestly have no idea. All I said was that we needed to go before one of you blew up."

Hermione looked at Draco in concern.

"I think you broke Malfoy," she whispered. Harry nodded with eyes wide.

"Let's just go," he suggested. "After all, he'll have to stop sometime, right? By the time you get back with Charlie, he'll be fine. Maybe."

Hermione looked at Draco again before nodding quickly. This was creepy. She'd never seen Draco act like this before. It was weird.

A few hours later, Hermione and Charlie stood at the door to Draco's flat. Hermione looked at the wood anxiously, hoping that Draco was better now. Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

The blonde opened the door and beckoned them inside when he realized who it was.

Hermione looked around, holding her bag in her right hand and a scarf in the left. Draco showed them to their rooms, and Hermione spent a little while in there unpacking. Then she went back out.

Draco was sitting at the table, seemingly lost in thought. Hermione smiled slightly.

"Hey," she said, sitting across from him. He nodded and seemed to come to a decision.

"Granger," he said. Hermione waited. "Could you…teach me how to conjure a patronus?" Hermione was surprised. She hadn't known that he was interested. But when she thought about it, she realized that she would be as well, if the roles were reversed. Everyone in the Order could conjure one. It was a matter of fitting in.

"Are you sure?" She asked. He nodded. "It may take a long time," she warned. "You can't expect to get it on your first try. You may need a few months."

He nodded, though he looked slightly discouraged.

"Let's do it," he said. She smiled.

They cleared a space in the sitting room and stood facing each other, wands at their sides.

"Alright," Hermione said. "The first and most important thing that you have to do is think of your happiest memory. Take a few minutes and sort through your memories until you find something powerful, something that has force."

Draco nodded and closed his eyes, thinking. He opened them and nodded. Hermione smiled.

"Good. Now let it fill you up, from your head to your toes. Relive that memory, feel it lift you up," she said. "When you're ready, speak the incantation, _expecto patronum_."

"_Expecto patronum,_" he said. She smiled.

"Now with your wand."

"_Expecto patronum!_"

Nothing happened. Draco's eyes flew open and met hers.

"I told you it could take a long time. Keep practicing."

He wasn't able to achieve it that day. But Hermione smiled; she really hadn't expected him to be able to. He was able to conjure a wisp, which was progress. Honestly, that was further than she expected him to be.

He sat on the couch, and she could see that he was trying not to be discouraged. But as a slytherin, his mind tended to focus more on the negatives of a situation. It helped him assess if he should fight or flee, but it interfered with lots of other circumstances.

Hermione found herself sitting on the other side of the couch, far enough away for comfort, but letting him know that she was there.

Finally, he asked the question that she knew had been eating away at his mind.

"Is it because I was a Death Eater?" He asked her, sounding as close to depressed as she'd ever heard him.

"Of course not," she said. "Snape could produce a patronus, even before he betrayed Voldemort. You just need time. You have to find a truly happy memory. And besides, you're making really good progress."

He nodded, but she could tell that he didn't believe her. Just as well. He'll find out in his own time.

That night, Hermione went to bed feeling completely at ease. She had seen two sides of Draco today that she hadn't ever seen before. Somehow, it made him seem a little more human.

The next day, all the Order members were once again gathered at Grimmauld place. Harry was really pushing planning because of how quickly their allies were dropping. There had been so many attacks in so little time.

When the Prophet arrived that day, Ginny announced that they had to see this. Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered around her to read the paper. The headline made Hermione's stomach turn to ice.

**Dolores Umbrage Out Of Hiding**

By Rita Skeeter

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other with shifty eyes. They all knew what that meant.

Umbrage was protected now.

She was part of the Death Eaters.


	15. Chapter 15

_I'm a waste of chances,  
>Full of bad romances<br>Your favorite enemy  
>And your most hated friend<br>_~Just the Way I'm Not by All Time Low

Chapter 14

After that first day, Draco seemed to get more and more determined to produce the patronus. He wanted to prove that he could. After his confession, he decided that he had something to prove by doing this. Hermione could have told him that those kinds of thoughts would get him nowhere, but she didn't. He knew that already.

Finally, Hermione seemed to have enough.

"Draco, you need to relax. It will come at the right time. You've made amazing progress in the past few days," she said. Draco gave her a withering look.

"It's not enough," he said. Then he walked out of the room. Hermione knew that following him while he was in this kind of a mood would do nothing but start a fight. So she decided to go out. It had been two whole days since she'd seen Harry and Ginny. She figured that something bad had happened. Ever since she moved in with Malfoy, they hadn't left her alone.

Draco heard her leave, but couldn't bring himself to care much. She'd be back in a few hours.

He _knew_ he'd made progress. But it wasn't enough, as he had already said. He wanted this too badly to relax.

Putting everything into the patronus was a way to unleash the built up emotions he had from this whole situation. He was still stunned and angry. And betrayed, not that he'd ever admit it to anyone. He knew that he should have learned from the last war, but he hadn't. His father was still the same slippery bastard, and he had no idea why he had hoped that he'd changed. As they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

The war had changed Draco, that was for sure. He'd seen things that he'd never wanted to see. He was no longer the spoiled, arrogant child that he had been.

When Hermione came back, he was in the sitting room, watching the fire, lost in thought.

"Malfoy," she said. He looked up.

"Granger."

They sat awkwardly for a few minutes before Hermione broke.

"I just finished this book," she began. He snorted.

"There's a shock," he said. She glared at him, but otherwise showed no reaction.

"Anyway, as I was saying, in the book, the characters played this game called Truth. It's pretty self-explanatory. You ask the other person a question, and they have to answer completely truthfully. I think that, since we're stuck together and don't know each other that well, we should play," she said. He raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"That is, without a doubt-"

"The best idea I've ever heard," Charlie interjected, glaring at Draco. "I think that you two could really benefit from it. You have so much in common, but don't even know it."

Hermione smiled at him. "Thanks, Charlie," she said. Then she looked at Draco, smirking. "Well?" She said expectantly. Draco swallowed uneasily. She could really get into his head with this game. The idea made him distinctly uncomfortable. But now that the Weasley had interjected, he really couldn't say no.

"Fine," he ground out, the word coming out harsher than he'd meant it to. She grinned.

"Good. We'll start with superficial questions and then move into deeper ones, just to test the waters, if you will," she said. He nodded, feeling a bit relieved at that.

"Ladies first," he said. She grinned and looked down.

"Favorite color," she asked.

"Green," he said, without even having to think about it. She rolled her eyes.

"Now there's a shock," she said, repeating his words from earlier back at him. He smirked.

"And you?" He asked. She waited, and he realized that she was going to make him actually ask the questions.

"Favorite color," he muttered.

"Blue," she said. He was surprised.

"Are you sure you shouldn't have been in Ravenclaw?" He asked. She grinned and nodded.

"I was a hat stall, but it ended up putting me in Gryffindor. Obviously, I was more suited for that house," she said. He smirked.

"Even with your know-it-all tendencies?" He teased.

"Well, there's no debate on where _you_ belong," she said. She seemed to think.

"Favorite book?" She asked. He actually had to think on that one.

"The Stand by Stephen King, definitely," he said. Now it was Hermione's turn to be surprised, if her expression was anything to go by.

"You've read muggle books?" She asked. He smirked.

"Nothing better to do," he said. She shrugged. "Your favorite book?"

"Gone With The Wind," she said. He shook his head with a small smile.

"I should have known," he said. "Something long and complicated."

She mock-glared. "It's a great book. Scarlett and Rhett are perfect for each other, she just doesn't realize it. I'm not a fan of the ending, but I love everything else."

They kept it up for a while, asking about each other's favorite things. Draco was glad that they were able to keep it light and fun. At the beginning, he'd figured that it would immediately dissolve into fighting, but he was pleasantly surprised to discover that he actually enjoyed it.

When they finished, they sat there in comfortable silence for a while before Hermione smiled. Draco could feel the excitement drifting from her.

"Do I want to know?" He asked. She smiled.

"We should watch a movie," she said. He raised his eyebrow skeptically.

"What the _hell_ is a _movie_?" He asked scathingly. She smirked.

"It's a muggle invention. I think you'd like it," she said matter-of-factly. "And besides," she said. "The T.V. has a DVD player. It'd be a pity not to use it." He smirked.

"Fine," he said, acting like he only agreed because he thought that she could be swayed. She only smirked at him, seeing right through his act.

That was the disturbing thing about her. She seemed to be able to see right through him. It was bloody creepy.

She went into her room, and he somehow wasn't surprised that she'd have a movie with her. She seemed to be prepared for anything and everything, all the time.

When she emerged, she had a thin rectangular box in her hands. She barely spared Draco a look, even though he was almost bouncing with curiosity. Eventually, after what felt like forever, she turned around. Stuff started playing in the T.V., and Draco was amazed. It was like muggles figured out how to create moving pictures, but at the same time it was different.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Hermione laugh at him. He mock-glared at her, causing her to laugh harder.

"So what movie are we watching?" He asked.

"Pride and Prejudice," she responded. "I figured that if you read muggle literature, you'd most likely have read this one." He nodded.

"As a matter of fact, I have," he said. She looked much to pleased with herself for having guessed correctly. Draco had to change that.

"I hated it," he lied. She looked at him sharply.

"How could you possibly hate it?" She asked. "Even you have to have a heart in there somewhere."

He was offended. She'd seen more of him than almost anyone, and _that_ was what she thought. He was about to get up when she grabbed his wrist.

"I was _joking_," she said. He looked at her skeptically, but her face left no room for argument. She had definitely been joking with him.

He felt himself relax as the movie came on.

It was amazing. He'd never realized it before, but muggles had their own magic. He'd make comments or ask Hermione something every few minutes, and he could tell that she was amused that he liked it so much. He had to admit that he gained a new respect for muggles.

About halfway through, he stopped asking questions and just sat there and watched it. He felt something on his shoulder, but didn't give it a second thought. He was too engrossed in the movie.

When it was over, he asked Hermione something. When he didn't get answered after a while, he looked at where she had been sitting, only to realize that she'd fallen asleep. On his shoulder. He felt distinctly uncomfortable.

Luckily for him, Charlie chose that moment to join them in the room. When he saw Draco's face, he burst out laughing.

"Having fun there, Malfoy?" He asked. Draco's eyes narrowed.

"Help me," he snapped. Charlie looked like he was dying of laughter on the inside, but did, in fact help him.

While Charlie took Hermione to her room, Draco went to his. He fell asleep quickly, thinking about the day.

The next morning, he was sitting on the couch when Hermione suddenly went running into the room, looking like a little kid on Christmas. He raised an eyebrow.

"Excited, Granger?" he asked. She looked at him.

"There's snow!" She said. He looked at her blankly. She seemed to realize something because her smile faded.

"Don't tell me you don't like snow," she said. He continued to look at her with the same expression.

Snow. It was cold and wet, and for the life of him, he couldn't understand why people liked it so much. It was frozen water. What was so good about that?

"Well, I'm going to change that," she said, grabbing his arm. She pulled him to his feet and then went into her room. When she emerged, she had on a black pea coat, boots, a hat and a scarf. She was pulling on her left glove, and in her hand she had his winter gear. She handed it to him. He didn't move. She put her hands on her hips in her stubborn pose.

"We are going to have a day in the snow, and you are going to _like_ it," she said. He raised an eyebrow but sighed, taking the gear from her.

They went outside, and Hermione immediately started walking towards the back of the apartment building, where they had a decent sized lawn. As Draco rounded the corner, a snowball hit him in the face.

Hermione laughed at him and ducked behind a tree. When he did nothing, she came out, scooped up snow and shaped it into a ball, and threw it at him. It hit, and he looked at her, not amused. She frowned.

"Would it kill you to have a little fun?" She said. After that, he gave in, and they had an epic snowball war. About fifteen minutes into it, Draco even started to get into it. By the time they went in, he found that he had actually had fun in the snow.

They returned to their room, and Hermione went into the kitchen, pulling off her gloves as she walked. Draco was just sitting down in front of the fire after taking his gear off when she walked into the room and sat a mug of brown liquid down in front of him. He looked at her.

"Hot Chocolate," she explained. He nodded, and they watched the fire together, sipping hot cocoa.

When all the hot chocolate was gone, Hermione put on a Christmas movie, and they watched it before going their separate ways for bed.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: I just reread this chapter and I am not particularly happy with it. But since I couldn't update and already have most of the story written around it, I had to post it. **_  
><em>

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.**

* * *

><p><em>And I don't know how it gets better than this,<br>You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless  
>And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance<br>In a storm in my best dress, fearless  
><em>~Fearless by Taylor Swift

Chapter 15

The peace that developed in the flat after those couple of days was soon shattered in a big way.

At the next Order meeting, everyone was stunned when the fire flared green and Narcissa Malfoy stepped out.

"Mother," Draco asked. "What are you doing here?"

She smirked.

"I'm interrupting something, aren't I?" She said, sitting down. Harry nodded, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry; I just couldn't stay at the manor any longer." At that, she looked at Draco. "You're father's gone and let the Death Eaters take over the place again. I was _not_ going live through that again."

Everyone fell silent and looked at the two Malfoys in shock.

"What?" Harry asked in shock. But Hermione wasn't really paying attention. She was watching as Draco's face turned from shock to betrayal and finally to anger. He stormed out of the room. She looked around and her eyes met Narcissa's.

"Follow him," she mouthed. "Make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid." Hermione nodded and slipped out of the room.

Draco was standing stiffly with his back to her, taking shuddering breaths. Hermione walked up to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, which he quickly shook off.

"Draco…" she said, trying to think of something that might help ease the ache. Unfortunately, she couldn't think of anything.

"Don't," he said flatly. She sighed.

"Draco-"

"I said don't!" He snapped. She closed her mouth, looking at him in concern, and if she was being honest with herself, a bit of hurt.

They stood there in silence for a while before he sighed.

"We better go back in there before they think that I went off to take them all on myself," he said with a grim smile. She nodded.

When they wandered back in, Charlie came up to them.

"Harry decided that Narcissa will take my place at your flat. He has a soft spot for her, even if she is a Slytherin. After she saved his life and lied to Voldemort, he decided to trust her," he said. "He trusts that she'll watch after Hermione and keep the big bad Death Eater under control." He made it clear that the last part was a joke. Draco didn't seem to find it funny because his face darkened, and he pushed past them to go stand by his mother.

When they returned to the flat, Draco was occupied with his mother, so Hermione went to her room. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

The next morning, she awoke to the soft sound of voices coming from the sitting room. She smiled slightly and walked in, immediately getting suspicious when the conversations stopped as soon as she walked in. For Slytherins, they weren't very sneaky. Narcissa nudged her son, and Draco glared at her before standing up and clearing his throat.

"It seems that there is a charity ball for my mother tonight that I have completely forgotten about," he said. "And I was wondering if you'd go with me."

Hermione looked at him, her face a mask of shock. She couldn't believe it. Draco Malfoy was asking her to a ball. Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin sex god, one of the most eligible bachelors in England, who could have any girl he wanted. Draco Malfoy, the pureblood prat that had hated her for six years. If someone had told her sixth year self that this would be happening, she'd have died of laughter.

She knew that he was inviting her to go as friends, and that he probably only asked her because he had no one else to ask. But it still sounded really nice.

"Sure," she said. He smiled slightly. Narcissa clasped her hands together with a huge smile that sort of creeped Hermione out.

"Oh, I simply _must_ help you prepare," she said excitedly. Hermione looked at Draco in terror, but he only smirked at her.

"Good luck with that," he said before walking into his room, leaving her at the mercy of his mother.

"Surely we're not getting ready this early," she said. Narcissa looked surprised.

"Good gracious, no, girl," she said. "But I do want to look through your closet, see if you have anything good."

At that, Draco materialized again.

"Oh, if that's the case, do allow me to join you," he said. At Hermione's look, he got defensive. "What? I just want to see if you still have that green dress I got you."

As they walked in, Hermione suddenly remembered all of her bridesmaids dresses. She anxiously tried to get them to give up and wait till later, but they were ruthless. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't get them to give up.

Narcissa flung open the doors, and immediately noticed the dresses.

"Oh…how…_interesting_," she said. Hermione glared at Draco, who started laughing.

"I'm not sure that you're supposed to save them," Draco said. Hermione's glare intensified.

"Those were some of the best days of my life. I just keep the dresses for the memories. It's like my collection," she defended. Draco laughed harder.

"Exactly how many-"

"Get out," she said. His face got serious when he realized what tone she was using and he nodded.

"Hermione-"

"Please?" She said, closing her eyes. She didn't need that from him. They'd been getting along so well.

A few hours later, Narcissa dragged Hermione into her room and locked Draco out, placing several spells on the door. Hermione thought she was overreacting until she heard the commotion from outside.

"Is he always like this?" Hermione asked, looking worriedly at the door. Narcissa smiled.

"Only with the ones he likes," she responded. Somehow, that did not make Hermione feel any better.

The first thing Narcissa did was help her into the dress before wrapping a robe around her. Then she started on Hermione's hair and makeup.

A few hours later, Hermione stood looking at herself in the mirror, turning in different directions and admiring the work that Narcissa had done. It was truly a masterpiece.

When she walked into the sitting room, Draco stood there in his navy blue blazer, trousers, and white button up shirt. He looked up when he heard the door open, and his jaw dropped when he saw her.

"Wow," he said. Hermione blushed. "You look…_wow_."

"I'm assuming that's a good thing," she said teasingly. He grinned at her. "You don't look so bad yourself."

They left for the ball, and everyone stared when they entered. Hermione heard the whispers as she walked past people. Things like "_is that Hermione Granger? With Draco Malfoy_?" She felt a breath on her ear.

"Don't let it get to you," he said. "Just relax."

She nodded and took a deep breath before smiling brilliantly.

They danced the night away, stopping occasionally for food and wine. They talked a lot, and Hermione had a really great time.

When they got back home, Draco smiled at her and tucked a loose curl behind her ear before walking into his room. Hermione smiled and spun around happily before walking into her room, forgetting the Narcissa was there.

She fell asleep quickly and had very pleasant dreams that night.


	17. Chapter 17

_I'm a ghost of a girl  
>That I want to be most<br>I'm the shell of a girl  
>That I used to know well<br>Dancing slowly in an empty room  
>Can the lonely take the place of you?<br>I sing myself a quiet lullaby  
>Let you go, and let the lonely in<br>To take my heart again  
><em>~The Lonely by Christina Perri

Chapter 16

News reached the Order of an attack on Cho Chang.

Harry looked dumbstruck when the news was given at the next meeting, immediately paling and sitting down hard in his chair. Ginny comfortingly massaged his shoulders, muttering something to him. Hermione knew that Ginny wasn't jealous or anything. Ginny knew how much Cho had meant to him in school.

Draco came up behind Hermione, bringing her back to reality. She looked at him with a shaky smile, and shrugged at his concerned look.

"I'm fine," she whispered to him. He gave her a look that clearly said that he didn't believe her, and she sighed. "Really. I'm just upset for Harry. He was pretty close to her during school. I know he's taking it hard that he couldn't protect her."

Hermione smiled slightly at his concern. It was new, and, if she was being honest, she liked it. It made her feel special.

_Wait…_she thought. _What? Since when do I need Draco Malfoy to make me feel special?_

She shook her head. She didn't. She figured that she liked someone thinking about how the war may be affecting _her_. Sometimes, she missed that. That had been a benefit of living in the muggle world with her parents when she was younger. She'd always had someone to take _her_ thoughts into account. During school, everyone had been worried about Harry and Ron, since they were the active heroes, and of course themselves and the Wizarding world, but no one really spared her much of a thought.

She wasn't bitter about it or anything. On the contrary, she knew that the other matters had needed more attention than she did, and, while she wasn't happy to be pushed to the side, she accepted her role as the sidekick.

"You're a million miles away," Draco said to her. She smiled slightly, turning to look at him. "What's up?"

"Nothing really," she said truthfully. "Just lost in memories."

"Ah," he said. He probably didn't know exactly what _kind_ of memories, but she was content to allow him to think that she was remembering Cho.

Just as everyone was starting to settle down again and maybe get some work done, the fire flared green and out stepped Luna Lovegood with her daughter, soon followed by that Slytherin husband of hers, Zabini.

Draco's face lit up when he saw his friend.

"Zabini!" He said. "What are you doing here?"

His usually cheerful friend looked at him, and he looked tired, weary, and somber. Hermione saw Draco's face fall.

"What happened?" He asked, immediately knowing that something bad had happened.

"We were threatened, mate," Blaise said quietly. Hermione looked sharply at Draco, watching his face pale before she turned to Luna.

"What?" Draco asked. Hermione heard him take a hard seat. He clearly blamed himself. She knew that he was thinking that, by refusing his father, he'd become a target. She could tell that he hadn't known what that meant until now.

"Merlin," he muttered as she walked over to him, laying a hand on his. "How could I not have thought?…I should have known. My friends…everyone…"

Hermione looked at him sympathetically.

"It wasn't your fault," she said. He looked up sharply, hearing the sympathy in her voice.

"Don't ever _pity_ me," he snapped. Hermione drew away, hurt by his reaction but determined not to show it.

"What happened?" She asked Blaise, determined to be strong if Draco couldn't. She wasn't sure why, but she had developed a sort of urge to protect him. She shrugged. It wasn't doing any harm, so why not indulge it?

She could tell that the others were wary of the Slytherin, even if he was married to Luna. If they were going to help Luna and her family, she was going to be the one to do it.

"They broke into the house," he said, looking her directly in the eye. "I heard them coming because we had wards put up, and I had luckily gotten home late that night. It took them less than five minutes to break through the wards, Granger. If I had even taken a second to be suspicious and not acted right away, we would all be dead right now. I didn't wait until I knew we were under attack. I'd heard about the murders, and figured that since Luna was in the D.A. back then, that was who it was. I woke her up, determined to at least get the girls to safety.

"Luckily, Luna remembered this place and told me what to say in the floo, so we were just barely able to get away in time. We can't go back there. We're going to need somewhere to stay."

Hermione nodded. "We can make that happen," she said. "Are all of you okay?"

"Yeah," he said. Luna looked at him then.

"Don't lie, Blaise," she said in that dreamy voice of hers, though Hermione thought she heard a stern note to it. "They only want to help."

Zabini's face fell, and Hermione noticed how pale it looked.

"I got hit with something," he said with a shrug that ended up making him wince with pain. "I'm not sure what it was, but I wasn't quick enough to dodge it completely. It caught me in the side, full on."

Draco jumped up at that, studying his friend. His eyes seemed to narrow at one point, and Hermione followed his gaze. She gasped when she saw what had made Draco so angry.

His whole side was covered in blood.

"Shit Blaise," he said. "You really got hit good, didn't you? How can you even walk?"

He shrugged, wincing again. "It isn't so bad."

"That's the adrenaline," Hermione spoke up. "From your last-second escape. When it wears off, you'll be in a hell of a lot of pain."

"Oh, bloody hell," Draco said, going white. "It's secumsempra, the wound's still freaking bleeding."

"Language, Draco," Hermione scolded, remembering that little Cassi was still in the room. He gave her a withering look.

"My best mate's about to bleed out and die, and all you can think about is my _language_?"

"We can heal him, Draco," Hermione said. "Snape passed on the counter-curse."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" He ground out, practically grinding his teeth together in his anger.

Hermione knew that he was just afraid for his friend, as his face still hadn't returned to its normal color, but did he really have to turn it into anger at her?

She walked over to Zabini, trying not to show how, when he was upset, he could make her feel so completely inferior. But the injured man's eyes followed her the whole way before flicking quickly to his friend, and she knew that he knew.

"This may hurt," she said gently, pulling up his shirt. "Take it off," she ordered when she realized that the cut was much longer than she originally thought.

He obeyed quickly, wincing as, when he pulled it over his head, it yanked on the cut. When she could see the whole thing, she traced her wand over it, and muttered the incantation, trying to ignore his hisses of pain.

"_Vulnera Sanentur_," she muttered. The flow of the blood started to ease, and she muttered it two more times before the cut sealed itself shut. Then she looked up.

"Should I get the dittany? It's up to you if you want the scar," she said.

"Yeah," he decided. "I'm too proud to have a scar like this, even if Luna would probably be the only one to see it."

Hermione smirked and rummaged in her bag before finding the vial. She dropped it on his scar, which soon vanished almost completely. Then she pulled a tube of salve out of her bag.

"If you want the scar to fade all the way, apply this twice a day. Once the scar is gone, you're free to do whatever you wish," she said. He nodded his thanks.

"Did it hurt?" He asked her. She looked at him in confusion, wondering just how much blood he'd lost. Clearly it was a lot. She missed Draco rolling his eyes.

"Uh…" she said elegantly.

"Did it hurt when you fell out of heaven?"

She cocked an eyebrow and looked at him, deciding that he obviously had gone insane.

"Uh…"

"Damn, when God made you, he certainly was showing off," he said with a charming smile. His eyes told her that he wasn't being serious, and in only a few more seconds, she was able to see why he was using all these cheesy pick up lines on her.

"Enough, Zabini," Draco said, and if Hermione wasn't mistaken, she heard an undercurrent in his voice that was almost like a growl. Luna laughed. Hermione wished she had her surety. If _her_ man went around saying things like that to random girls, she'd blow a gasket.

Blaise shot her a secret, yet triumphant, smirk.

"No," he said, his eyes lighting up in fake happiness. "I've figured it out! You're parents were royalty! They had to be to make a princess like you."

Okay, at that one, Hermione _had_ to laugh. That was the worst one yet.

She spared a look at Draco out of the corner of her eye and saw that his eyes were practically black. She couldn't figure out what was upsetting him so much. It was all in fun; Blaise didn't actually _mean_ any of it.

"Blaise," he said, a warning note in his voice.

"Maybe you should stop," Hermione whispered. That just made Blaise's smirk grow.

"He's always been jealous of my charm and good looks, if I do say so myself," Blaise said. Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's got the looks, the brains, and the brawn, but _I've_ got the books, the brains, the brawn, and the personality to really make it a sucker punch to the ladies. But don't worry about him. He barks loud, but he doesn't bite."

She heard Draco get up, and Hermione felt distinctly uneasy.

"Don't make me open up that wound again," he threatened.

"Don't you dare!" Hermione said. "If you do, then I hope you enjoy trying to fix it and failing. It will be your own fault if he dies then!"

He looked at her with blazing eyes. "Stay out of this," he said. Hermione narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. She didn't want to fight with him.

"Draco," Blaise said. Now _his_ voice had the undercurrent of warning. Hermione saw him feel around for his wand, laying his hand on top of it when he found it. Whatever he may say, Blaise was very afraid right now.

Draco raised his wand and brought it down quickly, causing Blaise to flinch as he walked out of the room. Hermione anxiously looked him over.

"He didn't cast a spell," she said in wonder. Blaise nods, though she could tell that he was still trying to recover from the scare.

"He does that," he said. "When you think he's going to make you regret the day you were born, he doesn't do anything. When he _doesn't_ seem to be in a temper is when you need to be worried."

Hermione nodded and stood, turning to follow Malfoy. Blaise grabbed her.

"That's not a good idea right now, challa," he said. She glared at him and yanked her arm out of his grip. She heard him sigh, but she didn't try to get Draco to stay again.

When she found him, he was sitting looking at the family tree. She walked in and hovered by the door, torn. She knew he was aware of her presence. She'd stand there unless he told her otherwise.

"I can't believe that he still does that," Draco said through gritted teeth, obviously still upset with his friend. "He's one of the most faithful men I know, yet he does that to almost every passable girl he meets! The bloody cad is _married_ for Merlin's sake!"

Then he turned on her.

"And you. Luna's your friend, but what did you do? You _ate it up_!"

Hermione looked at him in astonishment.

"What is your _problem_?" She asked, fighting back tears. Why was he like this suddenly? "Blaise is supposed to be your best mate!"

"Oh, it's _Blaise _now, is it?" He said with a sneer.

"Answer the question!"

"YOU, obviously!" He said. Hermione blinked in shock and hurt.

"Okay," she said. "Want to tell me what I did to piss you off so much?"

He snorted. "Let me see…you're much too infuriating, idiotic, gorgeous, pretentious, bossy, standoffish-"

"Did you call me gorgeous?" She asked in shock. He looked at her quickly before glancing back at the poster.

"No," he said, clearly lying. His voice was all wrong. She raised an eyebrow, and expression she picked up from him, she realized. "I said…gargantuan."

That was laughable.

"Uh huh," she said.

He glared at her.

"I'm not going to do this," he said, standing. The next thing she knew, he was walking past her. One minute he was in the door, and the next, he was gone. She sat down, putting her head in her hands.

He'd really hurt her, and he didn't even realize it. The harsh way that he'd treated her shocked her. She hadn't seen that side of him since…since before she'd moved in with him at the manor after Narcissa saved her. Sure, saying that she was gorgeous eased the ache a little, but everything else overpowered that one positive thing he'd said to her, and forced it to hide away, saying that they ruled her mind, and it had better go find itself somewhere far away to live.

"That complete arse," she heard someone mutter near her. She turned to see who it was, but they were already gone. She scrambled to her feet to try to catch a glimpse of them going back down to the sitting room, but they had vanished.

Eventually, she made her way back to the meeting, but she wasn't in the mood anymore. When they organized a search party to go to Cho's house, she volunteered, mainly to get her mind off everything.

When they got there, they split off into partners, and Hermione was with Ron. She caught him looking at her worriedly, but she did her best to ignore it. If she thought about it for too long, she'd probably burst into tears.

"Hermione-" he began. But right as he said it, another voice yelled out for everyone to come to the kitchen, right now.

When they got there, Hermione sat down sharply, looking gratefully at Ron, who had pulled a chair around for her, seeing that she was about to collapse. This was perfect. Just bloody perfect.

Under the Dark Mark was a note. Not a Mother Goose tale one this time. No, this one was short, sweet, and to the point.

_We want Mudblood Granger_, it said.

What a perfect ending to her night. Ginny apparated her to the flat since she was in too much shock and self-pity to do it herself.

"Thanks," she said tiredly. Ginny nodded and left. Once she was alone, Hermione sighed and walked to her room. She changed into her pajamas, and for the first time since Hogwarts, she cried herself to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

_If I could change I would  
>Take back the pain I would<br>Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
>If I could stand up and take the blame I would<br>If I could take all the shame to the grave I would  
>It's easier to run<br>Replacing this pain with something numb  
>It's so much easier to go<br>Than face all this pain here all alone  
><em>~Easier to Run by Linkin Park

Chapter 17

As soon as Draco appeared back in the flat, he wanted to go back. He walked into his room and kicked the wall, letting out some of the anger. He wasn't sure why he had said the things he had to Hermione. They weren't true, and he didn't mean them.

He hurled a decorative vase at the wall, smiling grimly at the crashing sound. Then he sat on the bed and put his head in his hands, all of his anger gone, replaced by intense self-loathing.

He felt horrible. But he knew that he couldn't go back there. His pride wouldn't allow it, and besides, Blaise would take the mickey out of him if he did. Those were two very good reasons to stay far away from Grimmauld Place.

Ah, who was he kidding? He was going back.

No sooner had he made his decision than he heard the floo chime. He walked into the sitting room, hoping that Hermione would hear him out. Just as he was rounding the corner, he was met with a fist to the face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Blaise asked. Draco's eyes widened and he backed away.

"Uh, I could say the same thing to you Blaise," he said. Blaise just blinked at him.

"You know I didn't mean anything. I was just messing with you. It's not my fault that you chose to wig out completely," he said.

"If you hadn't provoked me-"

A fist to the stomach cut him off.

"Take responsibilities for your actions just _once_ goddamn you!" Blaise said. "Granger didn't deserve that! All she was trying to do was help me and then prevent you from doing something you'd regret."

Draco sat down miserably. "Don't you think I realize that?" He said quietly.

Blaise pulled out a chair and sat backwards on it, facing Draco.

"I don't think you do," he said. "You really hurt her, Draco."

He sent Blaise a withering look. "Thanks Blaise, you know, that's exactly what I wanted to hear."

"It's what you _needed_ to hear, mate," he said. Then he disapparated.

Draco paced around for a while after that before he hurt the sound of Hermione's apparation. He stood in the sitting room, but she didn't notice him. Unfortunately, he hadn't realized that she wasn't alone. And the other woman _did_ notice him. She looked at Hermione to make sure that she was in her room before walking toward him and dragging him into his room.

Weaselette locked the door and turned to him, opening her mouth to say something before cocking her head to the side in surprise.

"What happened to your face?" She asked. He touched his nose, which he just realized was broken. Then he shrugged.

"Blaise came here and had a few things to say to me, most of them explicit," he said. Ginny smirked. And slapped him across the face. He looked at her in shock as she got in his face.

"I'm glad Zabini was already here, but I'm still going to kick your ass into next week," she said quietly. "Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But if you hurt her again, rest assured that I'll be there."

With that, she spun on her heel and walked out of the room, stopping in the door, as if she just thought of something.

"Oh, and just so you know? She just found out that the Death Eaters are after her tonight. She probably won't speak to you tomorrow, so I figured you should know. I hope it adds to your guilt," she said. Then she apparated away.

Draco backed up to his bed and sat on the edge, putting his head in his hands. What had he done?

The next morning, he woke up with an awful pain in his face. Then the events of last night came back to him and he wanted to hit something.

He stood up and looked down, realizing that he hadn't even bothered to change last night. He sighed. It would have to do.

He walked out of his room, hoping for a bite to eat. His mother was at the table, and when she took in his appearance, she gave him a sympathetic look.

"Draco-" she said. He sighed.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said.

"Then at least let me heal you," she pleaded. He sighed, not wanting to hurt _her_ feelings as well. She smiled sadly at him.

With a quick muttered spell, she had his nose healed.

"Thanks," he said.

Hermione chose that moment to walk into the room. When she saw him, her expression darkened.

"Hermione," he said. She didn't even look at him before walking out the door.

"Where are you going dear?" Narcissa called out. Hermione stopped and forced a smile. At least she wasn't going to freeze his mother out.

"I'm spending the day with Harry and Ginny," she said. "But we won't be at Grimmauld Place."

He could practically hear the "_so don't come looking for us_" that was for his benefit. He had a feeling that she had also added the second sentence just for him.

After she had left, Draco looked down miserably. He felt his mother's hand on his. "Don't give up, dear," she said. He just looked at her. He didn't think that he'd ever be able to make it up to her.

He wandered around the flat for a while after his mother left for one of her clubs. He really didn't have anywhere he wanted to go.

Just as he was about to apparate to Blaise's and beg him for help (yes, he was willing to _beg_, this meant that much to him), Hermione walked through the door.

When she saw him, she could tell that she was at war with herself. He wondered what she was thinking. She seemed almost…_worried_? Almost panicked.

Finally she came to a decision because she looked him in the eye.

"There's been a breakout at Azkaban," she said. Her voice was a forced calm, and he desperately wanted to be able to ease her worry. Then he registered what she said and sat down hard.

"What?" He asked, hating how weak he sounded. There were some serious Death Eaters in there, people that would torture or kill him and think nothing of it.

"Who did they go after?" He asked. Hermione grimaced.

"It's not a _who_," she said. "They broke _everyone_ out."

Draco looked up at her, not bothering to disguise his panic. She seemed surprised that he was so unguarded. He didn't blame her. He sighed.

"Look, about last night-" he said. She glared at him and cut him off.

"Please don't," she said. He looked at her with wide eyes. He watched her suck in a breath.

"What can I do to make it up to you?" He asked. "I didn't mean it, you know I didn't." She just looked at him.

"Actually," she said. "I _don't_ know. I honestly don't. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel about you anymore."

She may as well have crushed him.

"Wait…what happened to you?" She asked. "You're still in last night's clothes and you have blood and…Ginny."

He smirked.

"Oh, she made her mark, but actually, no. Blaise," he said.

"_Really_?" Hermione said, surprised. He nodded.

"He seemed quite upset with me. Can't imagine why. It was his fault after all."

Hermione smiled slightly and looked down. Just as she met his eyes again, the floo chimed again.

Draco got up and made his displeasure at the interruption known. Then he saw who it was and their facial expression.

"What's happened, Potter?" He asked.

"The Death Eaters broke into the Ministry," he said. Draco felt the color drain out of his face. Harry stepped closer to him.

"Ginny convinced us not to kill you last night," he muttered in his ear. "Be grateful to her."

Draco was grateful. But before he could say anything, Potter was backing up and Hermione was coming in.

"What's happened, Harry?" She asked.

"The Ministry was invaded. We have to see if we can find anything," he said. Hermione nodded, then looked at Draco.

"Get dressed," she said. He noticed that it wasn't stiff or snappish when she said it, so he assumed that, for the time being, he was forgiven. The terrible events allowed them to form a temporary truce.

Even though the whole order searched the place, the only thing they could find was destruction. Apparently, they had just wanted to show their power and numbers and cause a little chaos.

"Wait," Hermione said as they were leaving. "Wouldn't they have surveillance? We could find out who's behind this, who their leaders are!"

"Brilliant," Draco said without thinking. She looked at him strangely, but didn't say anything.

So they made their way to the security sector and found the recordings from the time they broke in.

After the recording went off, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made eye contact, looking grim.

"The leaders are Umbrage, Lestrange, and Rita Skeeter," Hermione stated, saying what they just noticed. "Bellatrix doesn't know it, but she'd just a figure head to draw in more people. So is Greyback and the Carrows."


	19. Chapter 19

_We're human, we reason, we're breathing, protecting_  
><em>The living and dying, surviving, we're trying<em>  
><em>To breathe in safety<em>  
><em>Come home safely<em>

_Mercy screams its violent love_  
><em>Justice and mercy<em>  
><em>Justice and mercy<em>  
><em>The depth of us created for<em>  
><em>Justice and mercy<em>  
><em>Justice and mercy<em>  
><em>This is where they kiss<em>  
><em>~Justice and Mercy by Flyleaf<em>

Chapter 18

"We need to move _now_," Draco said, trying to get the others to see it his way. They were currently trying to plan the best way to retaliate after the Ministry invasion. Hermione couldn't help agreeing. But she knew that no one would like her plan, even if it was the necessary thing to do.

"I agree," she said, surprising everyone. She smiled slightly. "But I also think that we need information before we can successfully do anything. We need to send in a spy."

"Absolutely not," Harry said. "We don't throw people to the wolves."

"They wouldn't go alone, someone would wait outside in case something went wrong. And Harry, I volunteer to be the spy," she said.

Draco went white, but she was the only one who noticed. She wondered why that was.

"Absolutely not," Harry repeated, at the same time that Ron said, "are you out of your mind?"

She glared at them both. "No, I'm not out of my mind," she said. "Harry, can I take your cloak?"

"You aren't going into Malfoy Manor alone to spy on Death Eaters, even if someone is right outside. That's final," he said. Hermione felt her blood boil.

"It's a good plan, Potter," Blaise said.

"You have to admit that much Harry," Luna said dreamily. Harry sighed angrily. Hermione smiled at her unexpected allies. Blaise winked and she smirked back.

"Bloody hell," Blaise muttered quietly to Luna. "She's like a mini-Draco! Look at that smirk!"

Luckily, Hermione was the only one who heard that.

Draco looked at her, his eyes wide and vulnerable. She had to look away. She still had that strange urge to protect him, and seeing him look at her like that made her want to go back on everything. But she wouldn't. She'd promised herself that she would see it through.

"Hermione," Harry said, and by his tone, she knew that, with Blaise and Luna's help, she had won.

He disappeared for a while, and shortly after, Draco followed. She heard yelling from upstairs and tried not to let it bother her.

Draco came into room moodily and wouldn't even look at her. She'd decided to let him in again after the whole Ministry ordeal, but she was keeping him on a leash. They weren't as close as they had been.

Harry returned and handed her the cloak. She smiled at him.

"Now we need to decide who will go with her," he said. "Nominations?"

"Malfoy," Blaise called. Draco looked up. Hermione looked at Blaise too. He had to know that they'd never pick him, even if she said she'd be fine with it.

"Harry," Ginny said.

"Anyone else?" He said. Hermione could tell that he was now distinctly uncomfortable, having been nominated.

No one else spoke up, and he sighed.

" 'Mione?" he said. She looked up. "Count the votes?" She nodded.

"All in favor of Harry," she said. She counted around five hands.

"All in favor of Draco?"

Her heart sped up when she counted seven hands.

"Draco is the winner," she announced. "Seven to five."

The people who had voted for Harry looked nervous, but no one expressly said anything. Draco looked blank, but she could tell that he was shocked.

He met her gaze, and she could see that she had been right. She also noticed that he only let his guard down for her. She wondered about that.

They stood outside the manor.

"Hermione…" he said, trailing off. She gave him a look to silence him.

"Don't try to stop me, Draco," she said.

He looked at her, but she refused to meet his eyes. If she did, she had no doubt that she would back out now. She pulled on the cloak, feeling his eyes on her.

She started towards the manor, as Draco held open the gates. "Be careful," she thought she heard from him, but it was so quiet that she was sure she'd imagined it. She opened the door to the manor and walked in, sparing one last glance at Draco.

It didn't take long at all for her to find the meeting. After all, it was going on right in the dining room.

She sat silently in a corner, her eyes widening at the sheer numbers of the group. There were so many people.

She was shocked to see Astoria sitting at the table looking completely impassive. She wondered if she'd had anything to do with that, what with getting her son taken away from her.

She realized that she hadn't seen much of Scorpius since that day when Draco announced that his father had joined the Death Eaters.

Speaking of Draco's father, she found him easily, looking just as bad as he had last time. She wondered why he was so willing to join a group of people that hated him so much.

Then the meeting started, and the room was silent except for the voices of the leaders.

"We need to act immediately, so they won't suspect anything," Rudolphus was saying. "They'll assume that we need time to plan and regroup, like they do. They don't realize our numbers."

True, true, and true, Hermione thought to herself. She couldn't help wondering if there was a spy in the order. She shook her head slightly to clear it. She couldn't let herself think like that. They couldn't start fighting among themselves when there were only so many people who even knew that a secret war was being waged.

She listened to their plans for a while, mentally cataloging anything important they said, like the attack they were planning on Pansy Parkinson. Apparently, she had refused to join them. She wondered what made Pansy change her opinions about her. Maybe she'd never really known her as well as she'd thought.

When the meeting began to disperse, Hermione quickly made her way out. When she was on the lawn though, she felt a presence and turned quickly. Astoria Greengrass. And she had her wand pointed right at Hermione.

"_Mortum Flagrantia_," she yelled. Hermione just had enough time to cast a shield charm before the shield deflected it. She threw off the cloak so that she would be able to move better. She saw Astoria smile like a shark and send a hex her way. Hermione cast a shield and then fired a _stupefy_ and a _bat-bogey hex_ at her.

She managed to deflect them both, and Hermione bit her lip. This was actually going to be _difficult_.

"_Crucio_," Astoria yelled. The curse hit her dead on, and she fell to the ground. She felt a hand on her shoulder, but was sure she imagined it. But she didn't imagine the shout.

"_Crucio_," a man's voice yelled. Suddenly, Hermione was pain free again. She looked around and saw Astoria writhing on the ground. She looked at Draco in horror when he saw in his eyes that he felt nothing.

"Draco," she whispered. Nothing. He didn't hear her.

"Draco," she said louder. He finally turned to her.

"Hermione," he said. Then he noticed her face and his smile fell. "Hermione-"

"This isn't you," she said, getting up and starting to walk away.

"Hermione-"

"Leave me alone!" She yelled.

"I didn't cast it!" She turned slowly.

"Then who did?"

"Him. Because she didn't report that she knew they were spied on."

Hermione followed his pointing and lost her breath. Rudolphus Lestrange.

He looked straight at them, as if he had heard her thought. She started to back away. He smirked, and she realized that her fear made him feel strong.

"Run," Draco whispered to her. She shook her head.

"I won't leave you," she said. He looked at her and nodded, though his eyes said that he would rather carry her away than let her stay.

"I have a plan," she added. "But you won't like it."

"Mudblood Granger," Rudolphus said as Hermione finished whispering her plan to Draco. "Who'd have thought that you'd come right into our hands?"

"Rudolphus," she said calmly. She felt Draco slip from her side and repressed the urge to smirk.

He _did_ smirk. "So your great protector leaves you to slither back into his hole," he said.

"Leave us alone," she said, holding her wand. They cast spells at the same time.

"_Illusio_," Rudolphus said.

"_Expelliarmus_," Hermione said.

Rudolphus won.

In the vision, Hermione was running through the forest being chased by Death Eaters. No, she realized. She was being _herded_.

In the clearing, she watched as they laughed at her, and she realized that one of her friends was tied up in between two Death Eaters. There was Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Draco. She felt her breathing speed up as she panicked. Then they were each tortured right in front of her as she cried and pleaded for them to stop, to take her instead.

Hermione felt hands shaking her, and heard a frantic voice in her ear. She couldn't figure out what it was saying though. She was still trapped in the dream.

Suddenly, a cold liquid hit her in the face, and she gasped for breath, coming back into the real world.

"Hermione," Draco said. Her eyes flickered open and she looked up at him, immediately sitting up and running her eyes over him, checking for injuries. When she was satisfied that he was okay, she wrapped her arms around him; she couldn't help it. She needed the comfort. To her surprise, he didn't pull away until she did, even letting her cry in his arms.

She pulled back with a smile, which quickly faltered.

"Where are we?" She asked. "Why aren't there Death Eaters breathing down our necks?"

"I brought you to a secret place within the grounds that only mother and I know about. It's within her gardens. I've been trying wake you up for what feels like forever," he said.

She could clearly hear what he didn't want to say, that he'd been panicking that she'd be stuck in that awful world forever.

He brushed her cheek with his fingers, very softly, as if just to reassure himself that she was there. Then he leaned his forehead on hers.

"I was in your illusion," he said quietly. She was about to deny it, but he spoke up. "I heard you. Don't deny it."

She nodded slightly and he sighed.

"I'm fine. I'll never defect, and, if I'm ever tortured, don't you worry about me, okay?" He said, and Hermione could tell that he was hiding pain. Pain that they could use him to torture her.

And then he kissed her. Just a soft brush of his lips, gently, tentatively. He clearly didn't want to scare her off. It was slow and simmering, and Hermione knew that if either of them deepened it, it would unleash passion and hunger. It could become desperate so easily.

"I'm so glad we're alive," he said, breaking the kiss but keeping their foreheads touching. "I'd really thought that I wouldn't be able to fight them off and then they'd kill us."

Hermione realized something then. "You stayed for me," she said in awe. "Even though you're slytherin and your self-preservation instincts would have been urging you to leave, you stayed." She reached up to touch his face, never imagining that he could do something like that for her.

This time, she initiated the kiss, and it was all passion. It wasn't desperate or hungry, but it was almost there. It was sort of a middle-indecent kiss. Something you could do in public but that no one would want to see.

Draco broke away and stared at her in awe before apparating them away.

"I'm so sorry," he said before walking into his room. "That he-"

"Shh," Hermione said, pressing a finger to his lips with a tiny smile. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. Now go sleep."

She then took her own advice and took a dreamless sleep position before falling fast asleep in her room.


	20. Chapter 20

_I never thought that _  
><em>You would be the one to hold my heart<br>But you came around _  
><em><em>And you knocked me off the ground from the start<em>_

_You put your arms around me_  
><em>And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go<em>  
><em>You put your arms around me and I'm home<br>_~Arms by Christina Perri

Chapter 19

Hermione woke up the next morning and couldn't believe that she'd kissed Draco and, even stranger, he'd kissed _her_. It was an amazing thought. She realized what that protective feeling was: she was beginning to fall for him.

She also wondered if maybe that hadn't been why he'd wigged out when Blaise had flirted teasingly with her. Because, as Blaise had said, he'd been jealous. He hadn't meant to hurt her; she was just the person to chase after him when he didn't want to be chased. So he nipped to protect himself, accidentally drawing blood.

Hermione walked into the sitting room where Draco sat alone.

"Where's Narcissa?" she asked.

"Still sleeping," he said. She nodded.

"Hermione," he said. She looked at him. "I want to try a patronus today." She nodded slowly, hoping against hope that today would be the day.

"_Expecto patronum_," he said. He produced his best yet, but it was still only a wisp. He looked very discouraged.

"Try once more," she said encouragingly, his miserable look twinging on her heartstrings.

He nodded.

"_Expecto patronum!_"

At that moment, a translucent wisp appeared, building and building, and Hermione hoped against hope.

Then it erupted into the form of a beautiful wolf. She squealed like a schoolgirl and ran to Draco, wrapping her arms around him.

"You did it," she said. He smiled and nodded. She tried to reign in her curiosity, but couldn't. She really did try.

"What were you thinking of?" She asked. He looked at her with gray eyes that seemed to be very indecisive. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision.

"You," he said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. Hermione blushed, realizing from his smoldering look that he was completely serious.

The floo chimes, and Draco practically growls, turning around. Hermione steps slightly to the side so that she could see the newcomer. It was Harry.

"Thank Merlin you're all right," he said, walking up to Hermione. "I heard about what happened. It was all over the Prophet."

Hermione sighed. "Well, Skeeter either made it seem worse than it actually was, or not nearly as bad. I'm not sure that I want to see it."

"Then you don't have to," he said. Hermione realized that he was holding the paper. Looking like he swallowed something awful, he turned and offered it to Draco who took it silently and walked away.

"What happened?" He said angrily. "Where the hell was Malfoy when you were being attacked?"

"He couldn't be there instantaneously, Harry," she said sternly. "Honestly, it was lucky he figured out that a fight was even happening. I left him by the gate."

"You did _what_?" Harry asked. "I thought we agreed that he would find someplace near the manor door to hide?"

Hermione glared at him.

"I didn't think anything would happen," she defended weakly.

"I can't believe I let you two do this," he said, his anger now aimed at himself. "We didn't even learn anything."

Hermione looked at him. "But I did, Harry," she said. He turned to her in shock.

"What?"

"Their next attack was going to be on Pansy Parkinson," she said. "Of course, now they've probably changed their plans, but-"

" 'Mione?" a quiet voice said. She looked around and realized that it was coming from Scorpius. She bent down to his level.

"What, Scorpius?" She asked gently. She'd always liked kids.

"What's wrong with dad?" He asked. Hermione looked at the six year old in confusion before it dawned on her and she straightened.

"Let me go calm him down," she told the boys. "I'm almost positive that he's overreacting to the article and throwing a temper tantrum."

She walked into his room and had to duck immediately to avoid one of those vases colliding with her head. Draco didn't even seem to see her.

She picked up the article and read it, seething. Skeeter was, as usual, trying to make her look like some evil, gold-digger whore. She shook her head. It didn't matter. At least she didn't turn into a-

Of course. How could she be so _stupid_? _That's_ who the traitor was. They had Skeeter spying on them.

"Draco," she said, walking up to him. He was seated on the bed, staring at nothing. He'd probably assumed that she was someone else when she'd opened the door, or maybe he just didn't want to be bothered by anyone. Oh well. She'd find out.

She sat next to him, and that was when he seemed to realize it was her. They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before he looked down.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "They've only helped us."

He looked at her like she'd officially gone insane. "I'd always known you were a nutter, Hermione, but this is probably to nuttiest thing you've ever said."

If she thought that he's actually meant it, she'd be pissed, but she knew he was joking so she let out a bitter laugh.

"No, not at all, really," she said. "Come into the other room, and I'll explain what I just figured out." She stood and tugged on his hand until he followed her.

When they emerged into the room, everyone from the order was there.

"I've found something," Hermione told Harry. He nodded.

"Why don't you just give a detailed run through of the night?" he suggested. She nodded.

"Their sheer size is shocking. There aren't nearly as many as last time, and I'm positive that only a few are really loyal to the cause, but it's still shocking. They've got us outnumbered already," she said. Harry looked grim.

"Their next move was going to be an attack on Pansy Parkinson," she said, noticing Draco's wince and how Blaise went white. "I think that it's safe to say that they will change their plans now, but we should still move her to safety."

"But we have to consider why they'd be after her," Bill said.

"She refused to join them," Hermione said. "They came for her, probably-"

"Probably right about the time I walked away from the Death Eaters," Draco whispered. "I didn't think that through very well did I? First Blaise, now Pansy?"

"But anyway, we should get her some shelter, maybe even let her into the order, if she wants to be," Hermione said. "Oh, and, speaking of the order, I have some less than pleasant news to tell you."

"More bad news?" Lavender said. Hermione nodded.

"Unfortunately, Grimmauld Place is no longer an option for our meetings, Harry," she said. Everyone sat up at this.

"What are you on about?" Ron said. She glared at him.

"They knew us too well. They knew that we thought they had to regroup before attacking, I heard Rudolphus say so. They know us too well," she said. "And that's because Rita Skeeter is using her dung beetle form to spy on us."

Harry sat down hard.

"Okay. Okay. Think Potter," he was telling himself.

"How about our flat?" Draco spoke up. Hermione nodded.

"Yes, we volunteer this flat for the future meetings," she said. Harry looked at her happily.

"Zabini," he said. "Do you want to come with me to get Pansy?" Blaise nodded. Then they disapparated.

"So, which safe house should we send them to?" Hermione asked the remaining people.

When Harry and Blaise arrived back with Pansy, Hermione walked up to the girl and handed her one of the old D.A. coins.

"If you want to be in the Order, which is completely optional, keep this with you all the time in your pocket. It will heat up if we call a meeting," she explained. Pansy smiled gratefully.

"Draco," she said in surprise, seeing him come up behind Hermione. "I heard about the manor, and I thought-"

"No," he said firmly. "I got away as soon as I found out that Lucius joined the Death Eaters." She nodded.

"Good."

"So," Hermione said. "Everyone pretty much agreed that Shell Cottage would be the best place for you to go."

"Thank you," she told everyone. "For caring enough about us slytherins to help us."

With that, they apparated away.


	21. Chapter 21

_And you can't tell  
>I'm scared as hell<br>Cause I can't get you on the telephone  
><em>~Lullaby by Nickelback

Chapter 20

Hermione was tossing and turning, lost in an extremely vivid nightmare.

She finally woke up, gasping for breath, and immediately jumped out of bed, grabbing her robe and apparating to Grimmauld Place.

"Harry!" She yelled the second her feet hit the ground. "_Harry_!"

When she didn't get an answer, she ran through the house, looking for him. She'd never been patient, especially not when it came to something this important to her.

"Harry!"

Just then, she ran into a wall of chest and stumbled back slightly before the person steadied her.

"What is it, Hermione?" He asked. Ginny came out of the room right when he said that, looking just as worried as he did.

"What's happened? Has there been an attack?" Harry was saying. Ginny looked at Hermione's white face.

"I don't think so, Harry," she said. He looked at his wife and then back to Hermione before leading them all into the sitting room.

"What is it?" He asked again, slightly calmer now. Hermione felt tears prick at her eyes, but fought them back.

"My parents," she whispered. "I forgot to hide my parents." Harry and Ginny looked at each other.

"Has something happened to them?" Ginny asked. Hermione shook her head.

"I don't think so, but I had this awful, vivid dream that they were attacked and murdered," she said. "I want to hide them. I couldn't bear it if something bad happened to them."

Harry nodded. "Stay here," he told Ginny, who pouted but nodded. He grabbed his cloak. "Come on Hermione."

They apparated to her parents' house, not caring that it was ungodly o'clock in the morning. Hermione was panicking. How could she have forgotten her parents? She felt awful.

They walked up to the door and Harry knocked as Hermione pulled out her cell phone and dialed their number.

"Hello?" a tired voice said on the other end. Hermione recognized it as her mother and breathed a sigh of relief. Despite what she had said to Harry, she hadn't been certain that they were all right.

"Hey mum," she said.

"Hermione, dear!" She said happily. "It's great to hear from you, but did you really have to call us at 2 am?" Hermione blushed, even though they couldn't see it.

"Sorry, mum," she said. "I didn't think about the time. I'm at the door with Harry."

It was silent for a few seconds, probably while her mum was telling her dad the news.

"Alright dear, we'll be right down," her mum said. "But do you mind telling us what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I'll tell you once we're inside."

"Okay, bye," her mum said. Hermione sighed.

"Bye, mum."

A few minutes later, Hermione's mum opened the door and beckoned them inside.

"I have tea brewing," she said as she led them to the sitting room. Hermione smiled and nodded.

When they got to the sitting room, Harry and Hermione sat on the couch across from her parents. Hermione looked at Harry nervously, and he smiled encouragingly.

"Well, you see, people still believe that muggleborns are inferior," she began, seeing no other way to start it. It would probably give her parents heart attacks if she went right out and told them that they were in another war.

Her parents nodded, and she could tell by their dark expressions that they knew where this was going.

"Go on," her father said. She nodded.

"Anyway, lately our friends have been being murdered and we realized that people from the last war are behind it. They know now that we know about them, that we know who they are and where they are, so they'll probably strike more to try and scare us. I want to put you in hiding, in case they come after you," she said.

"Hermione, this is why we never wanted you to live in that world," her father said. "Another war? Honey, this is ridiculous. Let the others handle it. Come with us."

She shook her head with a rueful smile.

"You know that I could never do that," she said.

Eventually, she convinced them to pack their bags, that this was for the best.

"Where should we take them, Harry?" She asked.

"I think America would be the best place. So many people to blend in with. And the Death Eaters hate Americans, so they would never look for them there," he said.

"Good idea, Harry," she said.

"It's going to be okay, Hermione," he said.

"I know," she said. "It's just so hard, you know? I hate doing this to them. At least this time I won't have to wipe their memories though."

When her parents came downstairs, Harry and Hermione led them outside. They were about to apparate to the airport when they heard the sounds of apparation.

"Well, well, well," they heard a voice say. Hermione's blood ran cold. She knew that voice. It was Rudolphus Lestrange. "If it isn't little Mudblood Granger trying to save her filthy muggle parents. Too bad that it's all going to be for nothing."

Hermione let go of her grip on her mum's arm. "Go back-" Then she heard the back door close, and more Death Eaters poured out from within the house. She closed her eyes.

"Hermione, take them," Harry muttered. She looked at him in shock.

"Are you insane? I'm not leaving you to take them on all by yourself!"

With that, the hexes started flying. Hermione tried to make sure that her parents were always behind her, protected, but it was so hard. Then she was hit from behind with a curse. As she fell to the ground, she remembered the golden coin in her pocket. Just as she started to fade, she was able to flip it.

In the vision, she was in the center of a room, staring upwards to where her friends were hanging in rope nets. She was alone in the room, but as she reached for her wand to free them, she was horrified to find that she didn't have it. Instead, her figures made contact with wood, but it burned her at the touch, eating away at her skin. It was FiendFyre.

She fell to the ground in pain.

"Hermione," she heard her friends calling. "Hermione!"

She was being shaken awake, and very soon she came back to the real world, still feeling what was left of the burn on her skin. She looked up into Ginny's worried eyes that filled with relief when she woke up.

"Harry! She's awake!"

Harry came into the room, his face concerned and full of worry.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded tentatively.

"It was Lestrange," she said. "The _Illusio_ curse. The spell makes the victim writhe in pain. It was his creation and his favorite spell to use."

He nodded. Then she remembered why she was cursed in the first place.

"My parents?" She asked. Harry smiled.

"Safe and sound. Your quick thinking saved all of us, Hermione, as usual," he said. She smiled.

"Good," she said. Then she noticed the alarm clock by her bed and realized the time. "Oh, Merlin, I've been gone all day! I have to go back to the flat!"

Harry nodded as she stood, and sidelong apparated with her. She opened the door, and the first thing she saw was an angry, disheveled Malfoy pacing in the sitting room. When he heard her come in, his head snapped up and his eyes went dark.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" He yelled at her, causing her to wince. He was _pissed_. Hermione knew that most of it was probably his fear for her, but it sounded like anger.

"I had to put my parents into hiding," she said. "It took a little longer than planned though, because we were attacked."

Draco stopped pacing and took a few steps toward her.

"And you couldn't have woke me up, or left a note, or _something_ to let me know that you hadn't been _kidnapped_, or, I don't know, _MURDERED_?" He shouted at her.

"Calm down, Malfoy," Harry said.

"_Calm down_? No, I'm not going to _calm down_," he said. "That was beyond the range of irresponsible!"

Harry looked uncomfortable.

"You can go," she muttered to him. "I'll be fine." He looked unsure, but at her stern look, he nodded and disapparated.

She walked towards Draco. "Look, I know you're upset-"

"Oh," Draco said, voice quivering with anger. "Upset doesn't even _begin_ to cover it."

Hermione didn't want to admit it, but he scared her when he was like this. She'd only ever seen him this upset a few times, but it terrified her when he was.

"Imagine waking up and then discovering that I wasn't here. How would you feel?"

"Draco, please stop," she said. He looked at her, and there was nothing of the gentle man that had hidden her when they were attacked by Death Eaters in them.

Luckily, the floo chimed, saving her from the conversation. Unfortunately, Draco didn't seem to care.

"I had no idea where you were," he said. "No idea at all. And then-" Hermione had to work to keep a straight face as Blaise Zabini walked up behind him and then got hit right in the nose by Draco's violent gesture. He didn't even notice.

"Draco-"

"I don't understand. You just run to Potter without a second thought? Don't you trust me? Or are you whoring around behind your best friend's back?"

When he realized what he said, his eyes snapped to hers in shock, and he took a step back, walking into Zabini. He turned.

Draco gasped at Blaise's face. "Where did you get that bloody nose?" Blaise looked at him in disbelief.

"Oh, you know, I just woke up and decided to _walk into someone's fist_," he said. "You know, just to shake my day up a little bit."

Draco smirked, and Hermione realized that he put two and two together to figure out what happened. By Blaise's expression, he knew too.

"Now Blaise," Draco said condescendingly. "What have I told you about your strange habits?" Blaise clearly wasn't amused. He looked at Hermione, clearly not wanting to deal with Draco.

"Andromeda's dead," he said solemnly. Hermione's eyes widened and she flipped the coin to call the others.

Harry swore when Blaise told him what had happened.

"How could I forget about her?" He asked himself angrily. Then he looked to Blaise. "And Teddy?"

Blaise looked at him seriously. Harry turned and kicked the wall, running his hands through his hair angrily. Ginny walked up to him and they went into the hallway so that he could calm down. The others dispersed since their leader had left, leaving Hermione and Draco alone again. She couldn't look at him.

"Hermione-" He tried.

"Save it, Malfoy," she snapped. "I know: you were worried. That doesn't excuse what you said to me. I can't believe that after all of this, that's what you think of me." She shook her head. "And to think that I was starting to trust you."

She tried to walk into her bedroom, but he grabbed he arm.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he said. "It slipped out, I didn't mean it."

Hermione jerked her hand away.

"Well then maybe you should learn to control your tongue," she said harshly, causing him to wince. "And besides, if you said it, you thought it. If you thought it, you felt it. And if you felt it, you meant it, Malfoy."

She was trying desperately not to completely break down in front of him. She was trying to be strong. But after everything that she had went through that day, his words had really hurt her.

"Hermione, what would it take for me to convince you?" He practically begged. She felt herself soften at his pitiful tone of voice, but she couldn't allow herself to show him that. He needed to know that she wouldn't tolerate that crap, especially not from him.

"Prove it," she snapped, right in his face. He looked at her and his eyes flicked to her lips, and before she knew it, he was kissing her. She responded until she came to her senses. Then she pushed him roughly away and slapped him across the face. His face darkened and he all but dragged her into his room.

He sat her on the bed before stalking to a far corner. They stared at each other for a minute, and she could tell that he was warring with himself. He didn't want to let her in, but he didn't want what he said to come between them. Finally, some part of him won, because he pushed off the wall and came over to her, kneeling right in front of her.

She turned away, not wanting to look at his eyes, already knowing what they would show. They would be pleading with her to forgive him. But she couldn't, not with just a look.

Giving a frustrated sigh, he reached up and turned her head to face him, putting a hand on either side of her face to keep her from moving. He looked at her, not knowing what to say, his eyes searching her face for any sign of softening.

Finally, he licked his lips and decided to say something.

"Hermione," he said regretfully. "I was so worried that something had happened to you, that I couldn't protect you. I was so, _so_ scared, you have no idea."

She closed her eyes, not wanting him to see them soften. She hoped that he took it as a gesture of exasperation. He seemed to.

"I know you hate me now," he said. At that her eyes flew open, and she tilted her head to the side, studying him. No, she decided. She didn't hate him. "But seeing Potter with you when you came back, I-I just snapped, you know?" His voice was changing with every word, and it hurt her to listen to it. "I didn't understand why you trusted him but not me to help you. I didn't-"

Hermione didn't want to listen anymore. The minute he'd told her that he was worried about her she'd forgiven him. So she decided to shut him up. She pressed her lips gently to his, a sort of teasing butterfly kiss. When she pulled back he watched her, both in awe and begging for more. But she smirked and pushed him back, walking out of the room.


	22. Chapter 22

__This can't be healthy now the way I dream about your lips  
>But this just wasn't any kiss<br>I hope you're still not over this  
>Not at least 'til I get over you<em>_

_My hero, she's the last real dreamer I know_  
><em>And I could tell you all about her<em>  
><em>I don't think I'll fall asleep 'til I roll over<em>  
><em>Can we just start over again<br>_~No Heroes Allowed by Mayday Parade

Chapter 21

A few minutes after Hermione left Draco in his room, Harry came back in. Hermione sighed and went to get him so that he wouldn't miss their planning. He nodded and followed her out.

"We need a team to go investigate Andromeda's house," Harry said. "I need three volunteers. That should be enough."

Hermione raised her hand to volunteer. Harry looked at her. "Are you sure you want to see this?" He asked. "Especially after what we found last time?"

She gave him a look and nodded. "I'm a big girl now, Harry," she said. "I can handle this."

"We need two more people," he said. Hermione was kind of surprised when Blaise stepped up. That reminded her…

"Hey, Blaise?" She asked. He looked at her. "How did you know that Andromeda was dead?"

"I was in that area and remembered how Andromeda had lived there and been a part of the Order, so I figured that I should warn her. When I got there, the Dark Mark was cast over the house and it looked awful. I walked in to investigate, and, well, you know what happened from there," he said. She nodded. She hadn't really suspected him, she'd just wanted to know.

"And one-" Harry was cut off when Draco stood. Hermione found that she couldn't read him. She knew that there were several reasons why Malfoy would want to go, and she couldn't help wanting to know what his was.

Harry gave Malfoy a long look. "She was my mother's sister, Potter, even if I never knew her well." Narcissa looked at her son proudly.

"Alright," Harry said with a sigh. Hermione was still giving him a penetrating voice. His voice hadn't sound exactly right when he said that. To someone who didn't know him, they would have been thoroughly convinced. But Hermione wasn't.

They stood together and Hermione sidelong apparated with Draco to Andromeda's house. She immediately noticed that it looked exactly the way Blaise had described it.

She was starting to get a bad feeling about this. Something wasn't right, she knew it. She could feel it. She shook it away, clearing her head. She was just being paranoid.

They walked into the house, wands at the ready. Hermione flipped on a light switch, revealing the complete destruction. And that was only the sitting room.

"They certainly went a bit overboard this time," she said, trying to hide how affected she was by this. Who could possibly be cruel enough to do this to someone's house, even an enemy's? If this was the house, it didn't bode well for the state of the body.

They walked around the house, looking for Andromeda and Teddy. Finally they found them. Draco tried to shield it from her, but she had already seen. She felt sick and ran to the bathroom, where she threw up. How could anyone be so cruel and sadistic?

As she was walking back to the others, she heard footsteps behind her. Keeping a tight grip on her wand, she spun, and was immediately slammed into the wall by a Death Eater. He flicked his wand and a gash appeared on her face. Another flick, and it revealed the word _mudblood_ that Bellatrix had carved into her skin. The man smirked.

"I've got Granger!" He called. More Death Eaters came out and walked into the room where the others were, not sparing them a glance. She kneed him in the groin and ran for it, but he was too fast. He grabbed her by the hair and through her to the ground.

"Stupid mudblood bitch," he said before hitting her across the face. She tried to fight him off again, but couldn't get a good shot. He smirked at her.

"Not so tough now, are you mudblood?" He asked. Hermione realized that she'd gotten herself into a very bad situation.

"Get off me, you arse," she said, spitting in his face. It was the only means of defense she had, even if it grossed her out. That earned her a death glare and another punch to the face.

"You're lucky the leaders want you alive," he spit. "I could kill you for that."

Just then, she heard running footsteps coming towards them. She couldn't see who it was because the Death Eater's body was blocking the view. She only hoped they were on her side.

"Get off her, you bastard," she heard someone shout. She relaxed when she realized that it was Blaise. The man turned and glared before pulling out his wand and standing.

"_Incarcerous_," he said, pointing his wand at her. Blaise's eyes widened as Hermione felt the ropes tightening around her, binding her in place. Then he kicked her wand out of her hand and across the room.

"_Expelliarmus_," Blaise said, catching the Death Eater off guard. At the last second the man was able to deflect the spell with a shield charm.

"_Sectumsempra_," the man shouted. Blaise dived out of the way, casting a bat bogey hex that the Death Eater was not quick enough to deflect.

Hermione found the effects of that spell to be humorous and disgusting at the same time.

"_Finite Incantatem_," Blaise said after grabbing her wand. The ropes disappeared from around her and he helped her up, handing back her wand. They ran from the room to help the others, though Hermione stopped and used incarcerous on the man who attacked her. Then she followed Blaise.

"Fall back!" Harry was calling. Blaise grabbed her and apparated her back to the flat.

Hermione fought to break out of Blaise's arms, but he wouldn't budge.

"Blaise, you let me go, damn you!" She yelled. He chuckled softly.

"Well aren't _you_ pleasant," he quipped quietly. "Draco made me promise that if anything bad ever happened and I was there to get you out. Apparently, he had a bad feeling about today. He also said to make sure that you didn't come back for him."

Hermione slumped, the fight draining out of her. What did that mean?

"He'll be fine," Blaise told her, but she could tell that he was unsure. She nodded so that he wouldn't feel bad about taking her away.

Just then, two 'pops' signaled the arrival of Harry and Draco. Hermione pushed out of Blaise's arms and ran to Draco, hugging him fiercely in her relief. Then she pulled back, looked him over, and slapped him across the face. He looked at her in hurt disbelief.

"Don't you ever try anything like that again Draco Malfoy!" She shrieked. He winced. "I can handle myself! You don't need to protect me."

She stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. He sighed, and then noticed everyone else in the room.

"Get out of my house," he said, not caring that he was being rude and a bit mean. When everyone had cleared out, he followed Hermione into her room, not even bothering to knock.

She looked up with a glare when she heard the door open, already knowing who it was.

"Don't you know how to knock?" She asked nonchalantly. He gave her a look, walking up to her and sitting next to her on her bed.

"Why is it so bad that I want to keep you safe?" He asked. Hermione closed her eyes, hating the undercurrent of pain in his voice. Then she opened them and looked him in the eye.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe_ I_ want to keep _you_ safe as well?" She asked. "I'm perfectly capable of fighting for myself, Draco. I don't need Blaise to spirit me away."

He sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I just worried. I didn't want you to get hurt. It won't happen again."

And with that, he kissed her hard on the mouth, needing reassurance that everything was okay between them. Hermione stayed unresponsive for a moment, wanting him to feel the panic she had. Then she was suddenly kissing him back, hard.

They broke away, breathing hard. Then Draco looked at her and cupped her cheek. "When all this is over, I'm going to date you properly, Hermione Granger."

She smiled and kissed him teasingly.

"And until then?" She asked coyly. He smirked, kissing her hungrily.

"You'll just have to deal with it," he whispered. Then they were kissing passionately again.


	23. Chapter 23

_I'm scared today  
>More than I told you I was yesterday<br>Give me a moment to catch my breath  
>And hold me every second left<br>Proud of me  
>That's the only way I want you to be<br>Look at me and love what you see  
><em>~Miles by Christina Perri

Chapter 22

The last thing Hermione remembered from the night before was falling asleep tangled up with Draco. She smiled at the thought before opening her eyes. She sat up like a bolt. He wasn't next to her.

She looked around trying to figure out where he could be. She didn't see him in her room.

Starting to get worried, Hermione stood up and saw that her room was a mess. She froze, beginning to panic.

_No, no, no, no, no_, she thought to herself, dashing around the flat. If anyone had seen her, they probably would have thought that she'd gone mad. Finally, after looking everywhere three times, she slumped into a chair, defeated. That was when she noticed the note. She picked it up with shaking fingers, praying that it wouldn't say what she thought it would say.

_Granger_, she read. Her eyes widened when she saw the handwriting. It matched the carving on her shoulder. She felt her heart stop beating, and with shaking fingers, she unfolded the letter, her stomach dropping further with each word that she read.

_Granger_,

_Since Draco seems to be under the belief that he could run from us and then fraternize with the enemy, we have taken him to Azkaban to teach him the error of his ways. To come for him there would be a suicide mission. But it's really _you_ that we want, isn't it? So turn yourself in, and Draco can go free. If you do not…it would not be pleasant for either of you._

_ Make your choice._

_ Best Wishes,_

_Bellatrix Lestrange_

Hermione dropped the letter and put her head in her hands. How had this happened? It was all her fault. She hoped that Draco was all right. She felt awful. And his crazy aunt had seen them together. Who knew what she would do to Draco for that? Hopefully, he made something up that would please her. Hermione wouldn't be able to live with herself if Draco got hurt because of her.

_ Azkaban_, she thought sadly, feeling her eyes tear up. She had to get him out of there. He didn't deserve it. Her hands still shaking, she grabbed the note and her wand and apparated to Harry's.

This time, luckily for her, he was already up. When he heard her arrive, he walked into the room. Hermione mutely handed him the letter. As he read it, his face drained of color.

"You are not going to turn yourself in," he said sternly. Hermione looked down but nodded.

"I know, Harry," she said. "But I can't just leave him to rot in there, or to become brainwashed by them again. He doesn't deserve it." Harry nodded, seeming to be deep in thought.

"Call the Order," he said. She nodded, but stopped when she realized something.

"The flat isn't safe anymore," she said. "I just realized that the strange feeling I had at the flat was that the wards were down."

Harry nodded, looking grim.

"Call them to your flat, and we'll direct them here, okay?" He said. She nodded, flipped the coin, and disapparated.

When they got to the flat, Narcissa and Scorpius were sitting in the drawing room, waiting for her to get back. Narcissa stood up and soon as she saw them.

"What happened?" She said, walking up to her. When she realized that Draco wasn't with them, she hugged Scorpius to her. "Where is he?" Hermione grimaced.

"Go to Grimmauld Place," she said. "The wards are down here, so the Order is meeting there. When everyone arrives, we'll explain everything." Narcissa nodded gravely.

As Narcissa disappeared, almost all of the Weasleys appeared with a loud crack. Harry and Hermione directed them to Grimmauld Place, apparating there themselves after they told the rest of the stragglers where they were going.

Once there, Harry walked to the front of the room and read the letter to everyone.

"We aren't going to let her go, are we Harry?" Ginny asked, worried. He shook his head.

"Absolutely not. We're going to break him out of prison the good old fashion way," he said confidently. Hermione felt a huge smile make its way across her face. Her respect for Harry just grew.

"Thank you, Harry," she said. He nodded.

"We need a team of people who are able to cast a patronus," he announced. Hermione walked up to him.

"I'm coming," she said, daring him to tell her otherwise. He sighed and shook his head to himself, as if knowing that it would be a fool's fight to try and stop her. Ginny came up to him as well. Then Ron and Luna.

Harry nodded to all of them. "This should be enough," he said.

They disapparated, appearing at the base of Azkaban prison. When the Death Eaters had broke the others out, they had destroyed the wards around the outside, allowing them to apparate in and out. Hermione looked around and took a deep breath.

"Okay, okay," she said. "We need a plan."

"I say we break in and do what we do best: improvise," Harry said. Hermione smiled slightly and nodded.

"Sounds good," she said.

They looked at the wall of the prison and started walking to it, knowing that at any moment they could get attacked.

"Constant vigilance," Hermione said, pulling out her wand. The others nodded.

They made it into the prison without attracting any dementors or Death Eaters. But Hermione knew that it wasn't getting _in_ that they had to worry about. It was getting _out_.

Since sneaking around was Harry's thing, Hermione let him have the honor of taking out the guard at the visitor's desk. They then used incarcerous on him and silenced him.

They snuck into the prison, and Hermione was horrified to hear the pleas to get people out. She wanted to help, but she had no idea who was supposed to be there and who was put there by Bellatrix and friends, so she couldn't.

They met a few guards along the way, but they were caught off guard and easy to take care of. At one point, someone snuck up behind them and almost took out Luna, but Ron noticed at the last second that she wasn't next to him anymore and managed to take out the Death Eater.

"I can't believe we're doing this for _Malfoy_," he said quietly to her. She responded with a glare.

"Shut it," she hissed, just as a guard spotted them. She used her newfound anger to stun the guard before he could even raise his wand. She bound and silenced him, all within the course of about a minute. She heard Ron gulp behind her.

"You're bloody scary sometimes," he said. She smirked to herself and sped up to where Harry was.

A few floors later, they located Draco. He was sitting on the bench, his head in his hands and his hair completely disheveled, probably from running his fingers through it a lot, trying to figure out what to do. He didn't even look up when they approached his cell.

"Draco," Hermione whispered, trying to get his attention. Harry and Ron were watching for Death Eaters. She looked over her shoulder at them and they gave her the all-clear sign. She sighed.

"Draco," she tried, a bit louder that time. He still didn't look up. She grimaced.

"_Draco_," she said, almost at normal volume. His head snapped up that time, and when he saw her, he jumped up and walked quickly to the bars.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed. "If they find you-"

"If they find me, we'll fight them off," she said, motioning back to her friends.

"Ah," he said. She smiled slightly.

"_Confringo_," she said. The bars near them burst open. She winced at the noise, but wasted no time, grabbing his hand and sprinting back the way it came, the others ahead of her.

They ran into a few Death Eaters, but the others took care of them. When they exited the prison, Hermione gulped. Dementors.

She closed her eyes and found her memory, a trip that she had once taken with her parents, and immediately yelled out _expecto patronum_. Her otter burst forth to protect them, soon joined by Draco's wolf. She smiled grimly at him and they ran to the base, every now and again casting another patronus. When they reached the bottom, Hermione stumbled, but Draco caught her.

"We have to wait for the others," she said. He nodded.

They were about to apparate back when Hermione was suddenly pushed forward, weight pushing down on her back. Harry steadied her, and she turned around to see his stag chasing away another dementor. Hermione looked down to see Malfoy passed out like Harry always was when he encountered dementors. She exchanged a look with Harry, who nodded. Then he apparated away.

Hermione grabbed onto Draco and apparated him back to Grimmauld Place, where Fred and George helped get him into a room.

Hermione looked around the room, sighing in relief, before she went to check on Draco.


	24. Chapter 24

_Opinions are immunity to being told you're wrong  
>Paper, rock, and scissors<br>They all have their pros and cons_

_And all of us we will endure_  
><em>Just like we always have<em>  
><em>But you just can't be too sure<em>  
><em>How long this will last<em>

_'cause we control the chaos_  
><em>In the back of our minds<em>  
><em>Our problems seem so small<em>  
><em>But they grow on us like gravity<em>  
><em>But gravity still makes us fall<br>_~The Only Thing Worse Than Beating…by Relient K Chapter 23

"Draco," Hermione whispered, absent-mindedly running her fingers through his hair. "Draco, wake up."

Hermione was sitting on a stool next to Draco's bed where Fred and George had carried him earlier. He still hadn't woken up, and she was starting to get worried. She was about to call his name again when she got an idea and smirked.

She leaned down so that her lips were just barely touching his. "Draco, wake up," she whispered as sexily as she could. Then she brushed his lips with her own.

He groaned when she moved away and moved his head around to try and find her again. She smirked when he opened his eyes.

"Hah!" She said. "I knew that would work!"

He looked up at her and blinked before sitting up like a bolt. He put a hand to his head and Hermione gently pushed him back down.

"Careful," she whispered. Then she pulled a piece of chocolate out of the pocket of her robes and handed it to him. He looked at it questioningly and she rolled her eyes.

"Eat," she said. At his reproachful look, she sighed. "It's just chocolate. It will help." He looked over her face and, seeing the sincerity in her eyes sighed and took it.

"What happened?" He asked her with a weak voice. "Where am I?"

She realized what she was doing to his hair and took her hand back, feeling a light blush come over her face. Draco smirked.

"Don't stop," he said. She blushed darker but continued to run her fingers through his hair.

"You remember that you were in Azkaban?" She said. He nodded.

"That's where my memory starts to get fuzzy," he responded. Hermione nodded.

"That's normal," she said. "Harry and I, along with a few others, broke you out, but a dementor snuck up on us and got a good shot at you. When you passed out (a common side effect when dementors target people with a _particularly_ upsetting past), you almost took me down with you, but Harry saved me and sent away the dementor. I apparated you here."

"And where _is_ here?" He asked. Hermione grimaced.

"Grimmauld Place," she said.

"What?" He asked in shock.

"They broke through the wards at the flat," she explained. "It wasn't safe to go back there. Scorpius and your mother are going to stay here for a while as well, until we get everything sorted out." He nodded.

"I don't suppose we'll be able to go back for our things?" He asked. Hermione lightly punched him. "What was that?"

"You're so materialistic!" She said, shaking her head at him with a smile. "But you're-"

She cut off, realizing that she wouldn't ever see her dresses again. He looked at her in concern, and she felt that, with him looking at her like that, it didn't matter that she lost the dresses.

"Hey," he said, reaching up to run his fingers over her cheekbone. "What's up?"

She looked down, blushing. She remembered his reaction when he found out that she had kept the dresses and wasn't sure she wanted to tell him. But then she saw the sincere concern in his eyes and she sighed.

"My dresses," she said. His eyes lit with understanding.

"Damn," he said, joking with her. "You looked good in that green dress." She glared and he laughed at her expression.

"You know that wasn't what I meant!" She said. He sobered up.

"If they really mean that much to you, we'll go back there and get them, okay?" He said. Hermione was shocked.

"W-why?" she asked. He rolled his eyes but didn't answer. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought that there was a faint blush on his cheeks. But she shook her head and it was gone. She must have imagined it.

At that moment, Harry walked somberly into the room. When he noticed that Malfoy was up, he smiled grimly.

"Good," he said. "You're up."

Malfoy smirked. "Don't sound so excited, Potter."

"You should see this," he said, handing him a letter. Hermione's curiosity peaked as Draco's face became whiter and whiter.

"I don't trust it," Draco said, handing it to Hermione. He looked at Harry. "Do whatever you think is best, but don't go alone. If it's a trap, the order wouldn't want you dead."

"I think that may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Malfoy," Harry said with a smirk. Then he turned and left, leaving the other two alone. Hermione took advantage of the quiet to start reading the letter.

_Potter_, it read.

_I've had enough of this. I can't stand what they're doing. They've turned blood purity into a game to destroy Granger for revenge. And they imprisoned my own _son_. _

_ I wish to be hidden. If you could learn to trust Draco, I would like you to do the same for me. I feel that we are fighting a losing fight and would honestly like to change. I could give valuable information._

_ Sincerely,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

"You think it's a sham?" Hermione asked Draco in surprise. She remembered that his father was always a sore spot for him, bringing out his darkest side when someone insulted him. She had a clear memory of Harry's nose after Draco had caught him spying.

"Yes, I do," he said frankly. "My father would never admit to being wrong."

"Are you sure? There isn't even a _chance_ that it's the truth?" She asked. He looked down.

"Well, there's a _chance_. He is slytherin after all. Self-preservation and crap. But I'd say that chance is slim to none," he replied. Hermione nodded.

After that, they fell silent. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, they were just off in their own little worlds.

Harry calls them down to discuss their course of action. Hermione knows that he wants to believe the best, but because of past experiences, he can't.

"What do you think?" He asked her.

"I think we give him the benefit of the doubt," she said. The others gave her incredulous looks.

"Did you listen to a _word_ I said earlier?" Draco asked, looking hurt.

"I wasn't _finished_," she said. Draco fell silent, looking around awkwardly.

"Go on, Hermione," Harry said. Hermione sighed.

"I agree that we can't trust him. So Harry goes to meet him, apparently alone. But waiting in the shadows will be our small army. Ron, Fred, George, Draco, Blaise and I," she says.

"It's a good plan, Granger," Blaise says. "Truly it is, but what if _he_ isn't alone? What if he does the same thing?"

"Then we fight them if they find us. I don't want it to come to that, but if it does, we'll do what we have to," she replied. Blaise nodded, conceding to her point.

That's how they found themselves hidden around the restaurant the next day, watching as Lucius and Harry conferred. It went on forever, the seconds dragging agonizingly.

Finally, they smiled, shook hands, and walked away from each other. Hermione didn't breathe until Harry had safely apparated away.

The others followed, meeting up at Grimmauld Place.

"He was sincere," Harry said. "But I still told him that it would be a few days, just in case. I want to ward him a flat where he could live alone. I don't want him betraying us and giving away the location of one of our safe houses. And he knows that he won't be part of the Order, simply for security purposes. He accepted these terms."

Hermione nodded. That seemed to be all they could do about it. It was a good solution.

Hermione woke up the next voices to the sound of angry voices. She winced when the door to her room slammed.

"Hermione," Draco said sharply. Hermione sat up, worry in her eyes. He was _pissed_. She knew it wasn't directed at her, but it still worried her.

"What happened, Draco?" He grimaced and handed her a piece of paper.

"My father is dead," he said.


	25. Chapter 25

__Here I am left in silence__

_You gave up the fight_  
><em>You left me behind<em>  
><em>All that's done is forgiven<br>_~Forgiven by Within TemptationChapter 24

"What?" Hermione asked, hoping that she'd heard him wrong. But the look in his eyes told her everything.

He was trying to hide the pain, trying to hide behind his usual expressionless look, but Hermione knew him to well now. He was trying so desperately hard. But she could see that he was broken up inside. She could see that his usually cool gray eyes were silver with unshed tears and that they were shattered.

"Draco, what happened?" she said. He turned away from her with a stubborn, defiant set to his jaw and motioned to the paper in her hands.

Hermione read it and felt her insides chill until they were frozen. He really had been a traitor. And the Death Eaters had found out.

"Draco-"

"Don't." He said, getting up and walking to the window. She sighed. Why did all of the guys in her life have to be so _stubborn_?

"It may help," she tried. She saw his shoulders tense.

"I said _don't_," he snapped.

"Talk to me, Draco," she pleaded. "Please?"

He took in a deep, shuddering breath.

"I didn't believe him," he said, rounding on her with a maniacal glint in his eyes brought on by the pain from the loss. "I could have saved him, but I didn't believe him."

"It wasn't your fault," she said gently, taking a step towards him. He glared at her.

"If it wasn't for me getting locked up, he wouldn't have turned traitor. If I had believed him, he may have been brought to a safe house," he argued. "It was absolutely my fault."

"First of all, you don't know if he wouldn't have turned traitor sooner or later," she reasoned. "The Death Eaters don't exactly respect him."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I was still the catalyst."

"Draco-"

"I'm going to kill them," he said, his eyes lighting up. Hermione was getting worried and a bit scared. Draco was driving himself mad.

As he pulled out his wand, Hermione snatched it out of his hand. He rounded on her with a glare. If looks could kill, she'd be a pile of ashes right now. But she had to stand her ground. She wasn't going to let him go kill himself.

"You'll do no such thing," she said sternly. He watched her in betrayal.

"You don't understand-"

"Believe me, Draco Malfoy," she said. "I understand more than you may think. And going after them will only get you killed. I won't let that happen."

They both remembered floo powder at the same time. Draco spun and dashed for the door, Hermione right on his heels. Draco hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, and before he could turn to get to the fireplace, Hermione threw caution to the wind and leaped on him, throwing all of her weight into the tackle. They fell to the ground together.

They grappled around, rolling around. Hermione was relieved that Draco didn't seem upset enough to raise a fist, because then she would be no match for him.

"I'm so, so sorry," she whispered. Then she _stupefied _him. "Incarcerous."

As she was climbing off of him, Harry walked in. He raised an eyebrow.

"What happened here?" He asked.

"He wants to go kill the Death Eaters alone," Hermione stated flatly. "I wasn't about to sit there and let him get himself killed."

Harry looked down at the blonde man who was bound and unconscious at her feet.

"I didn't think he'd react like this," Harry said quietly. Hermione pursed her lips and looked down on him. Draco was going to hate her when he wakes up.

"He's a slytherin mind with the heart of a gryffindor," she said quietly. Harry gave her a strange look before walking away. Hermione sighed and sat down beside him.

"Reenervate," she muttered, half-heartedly flicking her wand in his direction. She heard him stir as he woke up, though she refused to look at him.

"What is this?" He practically snarled at her. Hermione winced.

"I had to stop you," she said. "And now you have to talk to me so you don't go all crazy and suicidal again."

Draco was stubbornly silent for a few minutes, but then he must have realized how much he meant to her because he sighed, relenting.

"He wasn't the best, but he was still my father, Hermione. He taught me everything. And even though I started thinking '_maybe he isn't so great_' towards the end, and maybe even started hating him a little bit, I still didn't want to lose him," he said.

"No one ever wants to lose their parents," Hermione said. He glared at her.

"I very well know that! I just feel awful about the way I acted at the very end. I could have saved him if I'd done things differently," he said. Hermione smiled sadly and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Draco-"

"And I ended up as this huge disappointment. I never lived up to his expectations. And now, I-I just don't know," he said. With every part of the explanation, he was getting more and more hysterical. Right before he turned his head away, not wanting her to see him week, Hermione caught sight of a few tears falling from his eyes. She moved over and as close as she could to him, letting him know that he had her support and that she was there for him. She released the ropes binding him and he pulled her to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his body shaking with sobs that he was trying to hold back.

"It's alright," she soothed, rubbing his back comfortingly with one hand and running her fingers through his hair with the other. "Let it out, Draco. Don't hold it back."

"I-I have to tell mother," he said, trying not to cry. Why was he so _stubborn_? He would feel so much better if he just _listened _to her.

"Shh," she said. "Not now. Wait until it sinks in." He shook his head.

"She needs to know."

"Telling her while you're in this state will do nothing," she reasoned. "Wait until you've calmed down a little. You're going to need to be stronger than her, because she's going to break down. It's okay to cry when you tell her, but you can't be like this."

He nodded, starting to pull back. She wouldn't let him.

"You need to let it out," she said. "Honestly, you'll feel better."

So they sat there like that for around forty-five minutes. Then he went to tell his mother, leaving Hermione alone, her heart bleeding for him. He's been through so much. He shouldn't have to go through any more pain and suffering. She wandered into the sitting room like a zombie, waiting for him to come back. The others shot her pitying looks behind her back. She didn't even notice.


	26. Chapter 26

_Well I'm thinking of the worst things  
>That I could say to you<br>But a promise doesn't mean a thing anymore  
>And this never will be right with me<br>And now you're trying to desperately  
>But I'm tongue tied and terrified of what I'll say<br>_~I'd Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About by Mayday Parade

Chapter 25

Draco finished telling his mother what happened, and he realized that Hermione had been right; his mother _had_ needed him to be strong for her.

He saw Hermione sitting with the others when he walked into the room where the meetings usually take place. The expression on her face made him want to hit something.

She was trying to act all sympathetic and like she understood, but the truth was that she _didn't_. Neither of her parents was dead. She couldn't possibly know anything about what he was going through, and he didn't want her to pretend to. It was all pity.

He shot her a look, knowing that she would follow. She looked at him worriedly and then, just as he planned, she followed him into another room. He whirled on her.

"I want you to stop," he said. He held back a wince when the words came out a bit harsher than he had wanted. She looked at him blankly.

"Stop what?" She asked. She honestly had no idea what he was on about, he realized. That set his teeth on edge.

"_Pitying_ me," he snapped loudly. Her eyes widened and he caught her taking a small step away from him. He hadn't meant to scare her.

"It's not pity," she said meekly. "I told you the truth when I said that it was sympathy."

"You have no idea what I'm going through," he snapped. "Your parents are both alive."

Hermione looked at him in shock.

"What's wrong with you, Draco?" she asked. "This isn't you." She was backing away, shaking her head with wide eyes.

"This _is_ me," he insisted. "What you've seen for the past few months has been a _lie_. This is me."

"No it isn't," she said angrily, stepping towards him. He noticed that her anger made her braver.

"For the brightest witch of the generation, you sure can be stupid," he said.

"What is going on with you?" She asked. Draco watched her eyes as she seemed to realize that he was insistent on being this way. They were shocked, but now they were turning dark with anger, sadness, and pain. She reached forward to touch his shoulder. He forced himself to move back.

"Any part of you that touches me you're not getting back," he threatened. Her eyes widened.

"Why?" She asked brokenly. Draco almost considered saying that it was all an elaborate lie and that he still ached to kiss her. But he'd come too far to stop now.

"I want you to leave me alone."

"No, you don't." She refused to believe him. He sighed angrily, regretting what he was saying but needing it to be said.

"Yes, I do! You need to stop being such a stupid, naïve gryffindor! I don't want you anymore!" He said, shocking himself. Her jaw dropped slightly, but she continued shaking her head viciously.

"No," she said. "I won't believe him. I won't."

"You stupid little _mudblood_," he said, knowing that the awful word would be the only way to make her leave. He didn't know why he was trying so hard to get rid of her. He just couldn't take her pity.

He knew that he'd hurt her when he saw her eyes widen before they filled with a sheen from unshed tears and then went back to normal as she fought them back. She bravely took a step towards him, and he watched as she transformed from his Hermione into the Hermione of the past who had hated his guts.

"That was mature," she said angrily. "I'm loving this conversation." Her voice dripped sarcasm and venom and Draco smirked.

"I bet you are," he said cruelly. She finally seemed to believe him when he said that he wanted her out of his life. Her eyes filled with tears again.

"You're a decrepit little ferret, and I wonder why anyone would even be able to look at you without puking," she snapped.

He laughed humorlessly. That was about right. "And you are a filthy, stupid _abomination_ that doesn't deserve the magic she's been given." She stumbled back as if slapped.

"You're so wrapped up in destroying yourself that you don't even notice that you've become this giant black hole. You can't even tell what's real when you _try_ looking outside yourself," she said, trying to hide her tears. Then she walked away, leaving Draco to ponder what she'd just said.

He realized that she was right, and he ached for what he'd just lost. He _did_ do everything just now because he'd wanted to punish himself. He just hadn't realized it.

He'd wanted to punish himself for mourning the death of a man who'd thrown him to Voldemort without a second thought. He'd hated the pity in her eyes because he knew that he didn't deserve it. And he'd just lost the one thing in his life worth living for.

"Hermione," he whispered, dropping to his knees. He was in horror about what he'd just done. How could he have been so terrible to her?

Potter came in then.

"I have no idea what you did to her, but you'd better get off your arse and go find her and let her know that you didn't mean it," he said threateningly. "I have half a mind to kill you now, but Hermione insists that you didn't mean it. Honestly, I wonder about her sometimes."

Potter walked out of the room.

That made everything worse for him. He laughed bitterly. After everything he'd said to hurt her, because he had wanted to punish himself, and, if he was honest, because he was _scared_, she still believed in him.

He sighed and set off to find her, not knowing what to say. Then he heard her pain filled shriek, and everything else disappeared. He _knew_ that shriek. Astoria had been the same way.

He ran through the house to find her. He watched as Harry and Ginny worked her into the floo and left for St. Mungo's.

It took him less than a minute after they left to make the decision to follow them. He apparated away.


	27. Chapter 27

_And everything inside_  
><em>It never comes out right<em>  
><em>And when I see you cry<em>  
><em>It makes me want to die<em>  
><em>I'm sorry I'm bad<em>  
><em>I'm sorry you're blue<em>  
><em>I'm sorry 'bout all the things I said to you<em>  
><em>And I know <em> _I can't take it back_  
><em>I love how you kiss<em> _I love all your sounds_  
><em>Baby the way you make my world go round<em>  
><em>And I just wanted to say<em>  
><em>I'm sorry<br>_~Sorry by Buckcherry

Chapter 26

Draco burst through the doors to the maternity ward, only to be met by an angry Harry and Ginny. Ginny took one look at him and slapped him as hard as she could across the face.

"I suppose I deserved that," he conceded. She glared at him.

"There isn't any _suppose_ about it," she snapped. "You definitely did." Then she proceeded to hit him again. "And you deserved that one too." He nodded mutely.

"Let me see her," he said. She looked at him incredulously.

"After what you just pulled?" She asked in shock. "Absolutely not!"

"Please, Ginny," he said. "She shouldn't have to do it alone. I was with Astoria when the same thing happened. I can safely say from what I saw that day that no one should go through it alone."

"Go on, Ginny," Harry said. "You can murder him later. But first you have to think about 'Mione."

Ginny glared but nodded. Draco nodded gratefully before walking into the room.

Hermione looked over when she heard the door open, but when she saw him, her face darkened and she turned away. Draco paid her no mind; he was going to apologize today. Instead, he sat at the stool next to her bed and grabbed her hand. She tried to tug it away, but gave up when he wouldn't let her.

"Oh, good," the nurse said, coming over to him as Hermione screamed, another contraction hitting. He winced. This was going to be _just_ like Astoria's. "Are you the father?"

Draco looked at her incredulously. "No," he said quickly. "I'm her new boyfriend. The other relationship didn't work out." The nurse nodded sadly before going back over to Hermione.

"It's almost time," she said. Hermione smiled. Draco smoothed her sticky hair out of her face and leaned down to whisper something to her.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he said. "I was angry with myself like you said, for mourning my father who wasn't a very good father. And I was scared. A war is coming."

Hermione weakly turned her face to him, a pained smile on her face.

"I forgive you," she said breathily before screaming again.

"It's time!" the nurse said. "Push, dear, push!"

"Squeeze my hand as hard as you can, love," Draco said, not realizing that he used the endearment until after it slipped out. Almost immediately his hand felt like it was breaking with the pressure. Strangely, though, he didn't mind.

A while later, he felt Hermione temporarily relax and heard a high-pitched wailing. He looked up and saw a nurse holding a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket.

"A girl," the nurse announced proudly, smiling down at Hermione's daughter. "What would you like to name her?"

Hermione thought, squeezing his hand as a minor contraction went through her. "Challa Marie," she said. The nurse smiled.

"What a beautiful name!" She said with a breathy sigh. Draco wiped away the hair sticking to Hermione's forehead.

"You have to push again now," the other nurse who was bent over said. The one holding the girl walked into another room to give her a bath. The pressure on his hand immediately increased.

Soon, it was all over, and Hermione lay back, completely drained. A cry filled the room, but Draco couldn't help noticing that it was a good deal weaker than the baby's twin's cry. The doctors looked concerned as well.

"A boy," the nurse announced. Hermione smiled.

"Tristan Chase," she murmured.

Draco looked worriedly after the nurse as she scurried away, and, giving her hand a squeeze, he got up and followed after her, passing the other nurse on the way.

"Why was he so much weaker?" He asked the nurse. She jumped about two feet in the air.

"This isn't uncommon in twins. One of them is greedy and uses more nutrients. He'll be fine in the long run, though," she explained. He nodded, his fears eased.

"So there isn't anything to worry about?" He asked. She smiled, shaking her head.

"Just be extra careful with him in these first few years," she said. He nodded and left.

When he returned, he saw that Hermione was holding her daughter, smiling happily down on her. Draco couldn't help smiling as he took in her serene expression. He sat back down next to her.

"She's beautiful," he said, indicating Challa. She turned to him with a smile.

"She is," she said.

"I'm so sorry for everything I've said to you, Hermione," he said. "I really am."

"And I really have forgiven you. There wasn't anything to forgive," she said, keeping her eyes glued to her daughter.

"Let me make it up to you," he insisted. "When this war is over, I'm going to treat you to something. I haven't figured out what, but I will. That's a promise."

She smiled and was about to say something when the nurse handed her the boy. Hermione handed Challa to Draco, not able to hold both at once. She seemed to get an idea because she smirked. That was scary.

"Tell you what," she said. "Why don't we forget the whole thing ever happened? You help me with Tristan and Challa, and I consider your debt repaid?"

He smirked.

"You've got yourself a deal. But I still plan on treating you," he said. She smiled slightly, a delicate blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"You should go get Harry and Ginny," she said. He nodded and left to do just that, bringing them in a minute later. Ginny immediately rushed her.

"Merlin, Hermione," Ginny exclaimed. "They're beautiful!" Hermione smiled.

"Thank you, Ginny," she said. Harry nodded awkwardly to Draco who smirked and nodded back.

A few hours later, they were standing at the checkout desk waiting for them to give the all clear for Hermione to return to Grimmauld Place. The day had been a trying one, and they couldn't wait to get home.

When they finally arrived, Draco followed Hermione up to her room and helped her to temporarily transfigure two of her chairs into cribs for the babies.

"Stay?" Hermione asked meekly. He looked her up and down, smiled slightly, and nodded. He couldn't tell that girl no, especially when there was a combination of her puppy dog eyes and something that he wanted to do anyway.

And so he fell asleep happy that night, with Hermione in his arms.


	28. Chapter 28

_Though this might just be the ending  
>Of the life I held so dear<br>But I won't run,  
>There's no turning back from here<em>

_Stand my ground, I won't give in_  
><em>No more denying, I've got to face it<em>  
><em>Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside<em>  
><em>If I don't make it, someone else will<em>  
><em>Stand my ground<br>_~Stand My Ground by Within Temptation

Chapter 27

Hermione woke up to the sound of her newborn twins crying. She rolled over and saw that Draco was laying on his stomach with a pillow over his head, his hands pressing down to try and block out the sound. She rolled her eyes and nudged him.

"Draco, get up," she said. He groaned.

"You promised that you would help," she tried. He pulled the pillow off his head and threw it onto the floor, rolling over to face her with a glare. She wasn't impressed.

"Fine," he said angrily. Someone wasn't a morning person. He rolled out of bed and Hermione almost laughed at his petulant expression. And the fact that his hair was completely disheveled helped. That certainly was a rare occurrence.

Hermione smiled and joined him, handing him Tristan and picking up Challa. Then she went downstairs, motioning for him to follow. She filled a bottle with formula and heated it before tossing it to Draco who caught it easily. Then she heated one for herself.

"Hermione," Draco began as he was feeding Tristan. Hermione figured that he knew what he was doing because of his experience with Scorpius. She wasn't disappointed.

"Yeah?" She said.

"I meant what I said yesterday," he said. She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "No! I need to get this out! I-I need to apologize for making your life hell, and continuing to make your life hell, even when we were supposed to be friends."

She smiled. "Really," she said. "I've forgiven you. Stop worrying so much."

The next day, everyone was sitting around Grimmauld Place doing nothing. Hermione found that even reading wouldn't take her mind off the boredom, so she didn't bother. She felt extremely lazy, but there was nothing to do about it.

"Come on, Hermione," Ginny said, breaking her out of her thoughts. Hermione gave her a quizzical look.

"Katie, Luna, and I wanted to go shopping. I figured that since you're just sitting around doing nothing, you'd rather come out with us," she said.

"Ginny, that's much too risky!" She said. The redhead rolled her eyes.

"We won't be staying in England," she said. "We're going to France. Fleur offered to show us some of the best places. Please?"

Hermione sighed. She couldn't really find anything wrong with that plan. "Fine," she said.

They flood over to Shell Cottage, where they were met by Fleur and Pansy. They greeted each other before Fleur gave them an address to floo to. They met there and Fleur led them away.

They visited many shops, all of them much too fancy for Hermione's taste, though she did manage to find a golden dress to wear if she was ever invited somewhere classy. She hoped she would be in the near future, after everything was over.

As they were returning to the house, Hermione sensed something around them, and she spun, just in time to shield herself from a spell cast at her. The next thing she knew, they were surrounded.

They fought admirably in her personal opinion, but she knew that it was a hopeless fight. There were too many.

Hermione felt a spell hit her, and as she cast a hex at her attacker, she blacked out.

Hermione opened her eyes, blinking in the harsh light. She went to sit up but was immediately assaulted by an awful headache. She winced, looking around. She found a wall and crawled over to it, leaning against it to support herself.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed. She looked around and found her sitting against the opposite wall. She managed a weak smile for her friend before looking around. Her heart sank as she saw that the others were there too.

"This isn't good," Hermione said, feeling her war mask set in. She turned from brilliant to calculating in about a second. Ginny grimaced.

"I know," she said.

"Any clue where we are?" She asked. The other girl shook her head.

"You?"

"I have a theory. I just hope that I'm wrong," she said, wincing as she tried to sit up taller.

That was when the door opened, and in walked Theodore Nott and Gregory Goyle. Rudolphus Lestrange followed closely behind with Bellatrix. Umbrage and Rita Skeeter stood outside the door with vengeful smirks on their faces.

"Hermione Granger," Rudolphus said, shaking his head. "I expected better from you. And now, not only are _you_ in our care, but also your friends. I figured you'd fight harder."

Hermione glared, unable to come up with anything to say to that.

"I trust you remember our friends? Mr. Nott and Mr. Goyle?" He said. Hermione felt herself panic. Now that she thought about that, as a memory, she realized exactly why she should remember them.

"It was _you_," she said. "_You_ started this whole situation with Malfoy."

"Not on purpose of coarse," Bellatrix snapped. "It was so regrettable that my sister had to come along when she did. Now, not only do we no longer have Lucius, but Draco has also been corrupted."

"Not that you care about Draco," Hermione snapped. "You were perfectly willing to let Voldemort torment him. You were content to use him for missions that you thought he wouldn't survive."

The black haired woman slapped her hard across the face.

"Watch the way you speak to your superiors, bitch," she spit. Hermione glared mutinously at her.

"Begin," Bellatrix said as she walked out of the room to join the other women. Rudolphus smirked.

"It is time to finish your training, Theodore, Gregory," he said. "Torture her. Show no mercy."

With that, he turned to join his wife. Hermione glared at them and reached for her wand before grimacing. How could she be so _stupid_? Of course they would have taken her wand. She shook her head.

"Don't do this," she said. She had to fight with the only thing she had: her words and her fists. They looked at each other and laughed. She used the moment when they weren't looking at her to convey a message to Ginny.

"Don't," the redhead said. "Take me instead." They looked at each other.

"Harry Potter's girlfriend. I think we will." Theodore said, smirking. Hermione hid a triumphant grin. The minute they turned their back on her, she used what little bit strength she had to launch herself onto them, knocking them down. She put all of her weight into keeping them down while Ginny crawled and took their wands, tossing one to Hermione.

Just as Hermione caught hers, she felt a burning pain fill her. It felt as if everything inside her was trying to pull away, pulling her apart. But she refused to scream. The second it stopped, she cast as many spells as she could think of at them, leaping to her feet. She staggered, but managed to stand.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she yelled. She wasn't going down without a fight.


	29. Chapter 29

_By now you'd know that I'd come for you  
>No one but you, yes I'd come for you<em>  
><em>But only if you told me to<br>And I'd fight for you  
>I'd lie, it's true<br>Give my life for you  
>You know I'd always come for you<br>_~I'd Come for You by Nickelback

Chapter 28

Something bad had happened, Draco could feel it. He paced back and forth, waiting for Hermione to come back, even though he knew that she wouldn't.

"Daddy?" he heard. He forced himself to calm down and not be the kind of father that his had been.

"Yes, Scorpius?" He said, crouching down to eyelevel.

"Is it true that Hermione has two babies now?" he asked. Draco smiled slightly. "It is."

"When can I see them?"

"Soon," he said. "As soon as Hermione gets back, okay?" Scorpius nodded.

"Okay." He wandered away. Draco watched his son in worry. This war could take everything from him. Scorpius, Hermione, even his mother.

"Whipped, mate," Blaise said, walking up behind him.

"Are you not at all worried about Luna?" He snapped. Blaise gave him a long look.

"Mate, I've never been so terrified. But I know that I need to hold myself together. Panicking won't make them appear." He said. Draco looked down.

"Something bad has happened," he said. "I can feel it."

"We just have to wait. Maybe they'll come soon," Blaise said. Draco smiled weakly. He appreciated the effort, but he knew that Blaise was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Draco.

Harry walked in.

"You look horrible," Blaise said to him.

"I can't get a read on Ginny. I have no clue where she is. Tracking spells won't work." Blaise and Draco exchanged a significant look. Just then, the flames in the fireplace flared green and Bellatrix waltzed out. Draco lunged at her but was held back by Harry and Blaise.

Bellatrix laughed before turning an affronted look on her nephew.

"I've been gone for years, and that's the welcome I get? If I didn't know better, I'd say that you hadn't missed me at all," she said. Draco struggled against his friends' hold on him.

"Where is she?" He yelled. "Where's Hermione?"

"Oh, the mudblood? She's being taken care of, don't you worry."

"What did you do with her?" He snarled, going so calm that he almost appeared to be an angry statue of a vengeful angel. He felt the grip Blaise had on him tighten. He resisted the urge to smirk. Blaise really did know him too well. His aunt's eyes narrowed.

"If I didn't know better Draco, I'd say you had _feelings_ for the little mudblood harlot. Do tell me I'm wrong. That would be…most unfortunate for both of you," she said.

"I haven't cared what you said in years, _dearest_ aunt. Now tell me what you did to her," he said. His voice was low and dangerous, knocking the smirk off even his aunt's face.

"I haven't done anything," she said.

"Like hell you haven't. If you weren't behind her disappearance, then I'm a pink fluffy unicorn," he said flatly. Bellatrix sighed dramatically.

"I'm wounded that you don't seem to trust me, little nephew. _I_ haven't laid a hand on her," she said. Then she smirked. "I had my minions take care of that."

"Where is she?" He asked, just as deadly. He was going to kill his aunt. He really was.

"Why would I tell you that?" She asked. Draco looked at her flatly.

"Because I know that you've wanted me dead since I couldn't kill Dumbledore and this is your chance," he said bluntly, shocking her. Then she laughed.

"Fine," she said. "Come get your little mudblood in the place where it all began."

Then she flood away.

"The manor," he said flatly once she was gone. "They've taken them to the manor."

"Well then let's go," Harry said. Draco looked at him like he had three heads.

"Are you daft? We can't just barge into a place filled with Death Eaters without a plan, or at least training. They'd massacre us. No, if we want to save the girls, we have to wait, as much as it hurts to say that. But we're no use to them dead."

Harry had to admit that it was true, no matter how badly he didn't want to believe it.

The next thing Draco knew, they were all gathered around in the dining room, except for Narcissa and Scorpius. Harry was pacing angrily, trying to think of a plan, and Draco was ready to hex him. He was nervous enough as it is. He didn't need Potter adding to that. Besides, wasn't Potter supposed to be the Fearless Leader? He wondered how they ever survived fighting Voldemort. It must have been all Hermione.

"I trust that everyone in here has experience with dueling?" Draco asked, taking the attention away from Potter, who visibly relaxed. He rolled his eyes.

Everyone gave an affirmative answer, and Draco counted his numbers. They might be evenly matched in numbers with the Death Eaters, if they were lucky. But Draco tended to be a very _unlucky_ person, so he would have to prepare for the worst.

"Can someone summon the Aurors and the MLE squad?" He asked. George left the room to do that.

"They're going to be the second wave," he said. "Reinforcements. We're going to need them."

"Everyone, go practice fighting. I'm sure that you can find places to duel somewhere in here, and if you need to, you can extend a room," he said. Everyone started to file out, including Potter, who looked lost.

"Not you, Potter," he said. "I need to talk to you."

The black haired man looked confused but obeyed. Draco slapped him across the face.

"Pull yourself together! You're Harry bloody Potter for Merlin's sake! Get your head out of your arse and help me here! This isn't helping Ginny. You need to be the Fearless Leader to help Ginny. I'm not cut out for this shite," he said. Potter looked at him wide-eyed. Draco slapped him again, finally getting through to him. Potter shook his head.

"Better now?" He asked with a sarcastic smirk. Potter nodded.

"Was that necessary?" He asked, reaching a hand up to rub his face.

"Yes. Not only have I wanted to do that for years, but it snapped you out of your shock. Now get in there and help them train! We're going to need to be on the top of our game if we want to save the girls." To his shock, the other man obeyed. Draco smirked to himself.

_Well done, Draco,_ he thought to himself. Then he followed Potter into the room where the others had gone. If he was going to kill his aunt, he needed to be clearheaded, focused, and quick.

_Yeah, all right. Let's see you be clearheaded when you have Hermione fighting with you_, a nasty voice in his mind said. He nicely told the voice to stuff it.

When they were dueling as well as he figured they could and the professionals had arrived, he sighed and explained what was going to happen.

"Now let's go kill some Death Eaters," he said with grim determination.


	30. Chapter 30

_I'm forever yours  
>Faithfully<br>_~Faithfully by Journey

Chapter 29

Draco sighed and apparated to the manor, standing in the shadows just inside the gate. He lowered the wards and was soon joined by the others. He quickly raised them again, hoping that no one noticed and got suspicious. But he knew that he was the only one besides his mother that could feel the wards. He was getting paranoid.

"Okay, so, group one, come with me. Group two, circle the place, make sure that you're spread apart, and gradually get closer to the manor. Make sure that it's surrounded. If we need you on the inside, you'll know."

Then he started walking to the side entrance of the manor, knowing that the Death Eaters wouldn't expect them to enter from there. He felt that one of the rooms was blocked off from his senses, and he knew that was where the girls were. Unfortunately, that meant that he couldn't apparate there.

They would have to fight their way up.

Ginny and Hermione had warded the room so that none of the other Death Eaters could get in. They had bound the leaders and left them in the corner while they healed each other and tried to wake the others up.

"Maybe they have to fight it off themselves?" Hermione suggested after they tried and failed yet again to wake them. Ginny shrugged.

"That makes sense," she said. "But there has to be a way for outsiders to wake them up. There just _has_ to."

"Do you think they gave us Drought of the Living Death?" Ginny asked suddenly after a few minutes of silence. Hermione considered before shaking her head.

"If they had, we'd have needed an antidote to wake up," she said. Ginny sighed, realizing she was right.

"We need to get out of here," Ginny said.

"We can't fight off all those Death Eaters by ourselves, and we can't leave them," Hermione said, looking at their friends. Hermione was starting to get stressed out. She wished that everything could be easy, but she knew that it couldn't be. She only hoped that Draco had figured it out. She knew that Bellatrix had gone to him when the girls were still asleep. She had used legilimency against the Death Eaters after they were bound.

She had to have faith in Draco. He'd find them. She knew he would.

For now, she needed to stay strong for herself and the others.

Draco led the others through the house cautiously, listening for sounds of the Death Eaters. He couldn't risk getting caught. This was too important.

He was relieved that there were only a few guards in this part of the manor. He was able to easily stun them and lead his allies to the main room. He knew that once they got the girls, they wouldn't be able to fight and get rid of the death eaters once and for all, so they had to do it now.

They were able to stun and bind around ten of the Death Eaters before someone realized they were there and alerted the others.

It was a stressful, demanding fight. Spells were flying everywhere, and Draco was reminded of the Battle of Hogwarts.

He watched as a jet of green light hit George Weasley after he took the curse for Angelina, his wife.

"Get the body out," he yelled at her. She nodded, looking at him with eyes that shone oddly in the light. Once she had apparated away, he breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't let her die because she was mourning the death of her husband. He knew that when she came back, she would be calmer and set on getting rid of the Death Eaters.

He realized suddenly that sometime during the fight the wards had fallen. He didn't have time to wonder how that had happened though, as he just barely managed to dodge a killing curse sent his way. He smirked in satisfaction when it hit one of his enemies. Then he stunned the Death Eater who had tried to kill him, binding him using incarcerous.

Hermione heard the sound of the fighting below and looked at Ginny.

"Stay here and watch the others, in case they wake up," she said. "I need to be down there." Her friend nodded and she turned and walked out the door.

Draco spun, shooting a stunning spell at the Death Eater who was about to attack him. Spells were flying everywhere, and Draco couldn't find a way through, no matter how hard he tried. He needed to get to that room.

Just as he was about to start plowing through people when he heard the footsteps running above him. Hermione jumped over the stair banister. Draco could have died happy then.

She looked around, and their eyes met. At almost the exact same moment, they started pushing through people, running towards each other.

"Merlin, Hermione," Draco muttered once they had their arms around each other.

A spell soared past Draco's head and Hermione stepped back with a regretful smile.

"Battle," she said. He nodded and they split up.

Draco watched her as best he could, and he knew that his dueling wasn't as good as it usually is. But he wasn't about to lose her again.

Spells flew everywhere, but he noticed that the fray was beginning to thin. He stunned a Death Eater and looked around, smirking when he realized that his side was winning. Feeling that they had thinned the lines enough, he grabbed Harry and went over to Hermione.

"We have to get the others out of here," he said. Hermione nodded and led them quickly through the halls and into the room where they were held.

"Let's do this quickly," she said. He nodded, and they each took one girl and disapparated as Hermione took down her wards.

They set the girls on the couch and apparated back. The fight was still going on, but the Death Eaters had very little chance to beat them. They were going to win. Everything was going to be all right.

When they got home that night, they were completely exhausted, and all Hermione wanted to do was keel over and sleep for a week. So that's what she did.

The next morning, she woke up and found Draco sitting there watching her.

"Good morning," he said with a soft smile. She smiled brightly and leaned in for a quick kiss.

"I was so worried," he told her. Her smile disappeared, remembering what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Draco," she said. "I honestly thought that it would be safe."

He shook his head. "Don't even worry about it. Everyone's fine. The death eaters are waiting in custody for trials. It's over. Your misjudgment ended up allowing us to end this."

She smiled slightly, though it wasn't a real smile.

Draco opened his mouth to ask the question that had been going through his head since he found out she was captured, what he planned on asking if they somehow managed to come out of this alive, but found that he couldn't.

_Come on, coward_, his mind hissed at him. _Just bloody _say_ it already_.

His mouth opened and closed a few times.

_Pathetic. _

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, looking up at him in concern. He nodded, feeling his pocket. Still there. Not that it could have possibly disappeared in the few minutes it had been there, but…never mind. He cut off his thoughts with a grimace. Gritting his teeth, he steadied himself.

_Just _do_ it!_

"Uh…Hermione," he said.

"Yes?"

He stood up, pacing, before dropping spontaneously to one knee. Hermione felt her breath catch.

_Oh my God. OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod_.

_Calm down_. _You need to calm down before you start hyperventilating. Maybe it's not what you think, maybe-_

She realized with horror that he'd been saying something and she completely missed it. But she caught sight of the beautiful silver band with- she had to roll her eyes, even though she was smiling- an emerald in the middle surrounded by miniature diamonds. It was entirely too much, yet it was perfect.

She didn't realize she was crying until Draco reached up, unsure of himself.

"Um…Granger? Say something? Please?"

_Idiot. He probably thinks you're rejecting him. Breathe!_

She nodded, mortified to realize that she was still tearing up.

"_Yes!_"

Draco's face lit up as he beamed at her, and suddenly, they were molded together, their lips crushed together. Nothing else mattered in that moment but the two of them.

"Draco, you-" Breaking away from his fiancée with a growl, he turned to the intruder.

"_What_? What could you possibly _want_? Haven't we done _enough_?"

"Draco," Hermione said softly, grabbing his arm.

"Calm yourself," Blaise said. "Trust me, if I had known what I was walking in on, I would have saved my eyes the pain and scarring that are going to be burned into my eyelids for the rest of eternity."

Hermione smirked, hiding a laugh. Blaise winked at her before turning back to his friend.

"Come on, the others want you."

Then he left.

"Shall we continue from where we left off?" Draco asked. Hermione smiled sadly and shook her head. Then she caught sight of the forgotten jewelry.

"Are you going to make me put this on all by myself?" She said with a terribly pathetic attempt at a pout.

He slid the ring on terribly slowly, sending little chills through her body. "_Draco_," she hissed. "_Not now_." He'd gone from trailing his fingers to trailing light kisses over her fingers.

He smirked at her and they went downstairs, hand in hand. They'd barely walked through the door before Ginny squealed and ran over to her, looking at the ring on a very important finger.

"'Mione! You're _engaged_!"

"Yes, thank you for announcing the obvious to the entire room," Draco said dryly. Hermione slapped his chest lightly before squealing with her friend. "My ears!"

Ginny and Hermione disappeared into some corner, and Harry and Blaise came over to him, expressions of amusement on both their faces.

"Well, that was certainly not how we had expected the meeting to go," Harry said, grinning. Draco rolled his eyes.

"What _did_ you want to say? I was kind of in the middle of something," he said, glaring good-naturedly.

"We just wanted to celebrate the victory, but it appears that will have to wait."

Draco laughed. "Good luck with that. My announcement is obvious of _much_ greater importance."

Harry and Blaise rolled their eyes.

Draco realized suddenly that he had another best mate. He had no idea when it had happened, but somewhere along the line, Harry had become as close as Blaise. They still enjoyed taking the mickey out of each other, but they were closer than any of Draco's other friends had ever been to him.

And suddenly, Draco realized, looking around the room, that he belonged more in this group that he had once despised with all his heart than he ever had in the group he had run with in his earlier years.

The End


	31. Epilogue

_Something happens and I'm head over heels  
>I never find out<br>Till I'm head over heels  
>Something happens and I'm head over heels<br>Oh, don't take my heart  
>Don't break my heart<br>No, don't throw it away  
><em>~Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears

_I never meant to be the one  
>Who kept you from the dark<br>But now I know my wounds are sewn  
>Because of who you are<br>_~Savior by Black Veil Brides

Chapter 30

The day was perfect. The sun was shining, the ocean was a beautiful clear blue, and the flowers were gorgeous. And yet Hermione found herself close to the point of hyperventilating.

"What if he changed his mind? Oh, God, what if this is all some sort of weird trick or dream? Or-"

"For Merlin's sake, Hermione, _he_ asked _you_. If anybody should be worried, it should be him. Breathe. Everything's going to be fine." Ginny soothingly massaged her friend's shoulders, trying to get her to relax. This is supposed to be a _happy_ day. Hermione's freaking out like it's a walk to the executioner.

Hermione took two deep breaths and nodded. "I know everything is going to be fine. I'm just paranoid."

Ginny and Luna sighed in relief, looking at each other with tired smiles on their faces.

Hermione looked gorgeous. It wouldn't surprise Ginny if Draco fell over when he saw her.

She was beautifully tanned, so her ivory dress made her look like some sort of Greek goddess. It had one shoulder strap decorated with a few sequins and rhinestones, as well as delicate embroidery that spread over her whole torso. The dress wrapped around her waist in a tight fit that hugged every curve before fanning out to drape around her, the soft fabric teasingly caressing her legs. She had a long train trailing behind her and a sort of a halo made of flowers that her short, modern veil would be going over.

All she needed for perfection was the light makeup that Narcissa did, and the waterfall braid the miracle woman had managed to tease into her hair. On her feet sat two delicate heels reminiscent of the fairytale of Cinderella.

Harry poked his head in. "It's time," he said. The girls nodded. Ginny and Luna helped Hermione up and placed the veil over her head. Then Ginny left with Blaise as Maid of Honor and Best Man. Luna followed with Harry and then it was Hermione's turn. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she began her walk to the altar as soon as the wedding march began to play.

She shyly raised her eyes to Draco's and smiled when she saw his expression. Her father passed her off, and then it was time for the actual marriage.

"You look beautiful," Draco whispered to her.

A few minutes later, they had said their vows.

"I do," Hermione said softly.

"You may now-"

Hermione never got to hear the end of that sentence because Draco had pulled her close and kissed her.

_Don't tear me down_

_For all I need_

_Make my heart a better place_

_Give me something I can believe_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: It's the end of the road! I'm so sad to this story end but also rather relieved. Now I can concentrate on my other fanfics :) I'm really sorry that this was so sporadically updated, and for those of you who stayed with me, I am incredibly thankful. Thank you so much to my reviewers. I know it may not seem like it, but you guys were the reason I forced myself to actually work on this. I had a bunch of Shiny New Ideas and couldn't wait to work on them, so I kind of neglected this story. I know this isn't the ending you deserved, but I honestly have no clue how to write a wedding :)<strong>  
><em>

_**That being said, I probably won't post again for a long time. I want to get at least mostly finished my next story before I post it so I won't have to struggle to write before my next post is supposed to occur. I really hope to get on a regular posting schedule for my next stories.  
><strong>_

_**I would really appreciate it if you would review with an answer to this question:  
><strong>_

_**Should my next fanfiction be a:**_

_**a) Tom Riddle/ OC  
><strong>_

_**b) Cato/ OC  
><strong>_

_**c) something different (if this option, can you please tell me what ship you want)  
><strong>_

_**Thanks so much.  
><strong>_

_**You'll hear more from me. Eventually.  
><strong>_


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